A hard-line Iranian group has been actively recruiting potential suicide bombers for operations in Israel, images seen by MailOnline reveal.
The group responsible for this recruitment drive, Hezbollah, different from the Lebanese militant group with the same name, has initiated a campaign in the southeastern Iranian city of Mashhad, a significant place in Shia Islam.
Posters featuring calls for ‘martyrdom’ have appeared on the streets of Mashhad, imploring residents to submit their personal details for consideration. These posters declare, ‘It’s time for Jihad,’ and seek individuals to join a ‘special battalion of martyr seekers for Palestine.’
One poster, shared by a Telegram channel close to the group, shows triumphant jihadists arriving at Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque, one of Islam’s holiest sites after the defeat of Israel while waving Iran’s flag. ‘Liberating’ Al-Aqsa Mosque has been one of the fundamental slogans of the Islamic Republic’s officials over the past four decades.
The group has gone as far as providing potential recruits with the option to choose between using motorcycles or cars for their deployments to Israel.
Tawab, a resident of Mashhad, expressed his concern about the situation. In a telephone interview with MailOnline, he stated, ‘I have seen these posters in several places in the city, but no one seems willing to take such a perilous path. It makes the face of the city scary.’
While openly admitting its backing for Hamas, Iran’s clerical rulers insist the Islamic Republic was not involved in the group’s 7 October attack on Israel.
In a move that reflects a growing internal dissent, dozens of Iranian political and civil activists have voiced their concerns and opposition to these actions.
On Thursday, they openly warned Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei against dragging Iran into the abyss of war.
The activists emphasized, ‘They [Khamenei] must recognize that they lack the authority to lead our nation into war with their reckless, unwise, and unpatriotic policies, potentially transforming the peaceful people of Iran into war-weary victims.’
The statement further criticized the Supreme Leader’s stance, saying, ‘By directly involving our nation in these conflicts, he not only jeopardizes the safety and prosperity of the Iranian people but also threatens to impose the scourge of war upon our land.’
The Islamic Republic has historically supported various organizations in the Middle East, such as Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which are engaged in activities related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
