Amnesty International condemns Iran for recruiting children for IRGC roles

Amnesty International has warned that Iran’s recruitment of children for roles linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) constitutes a war crime.

The statement follows remarks aired on Iranian state media by IRGC official Rahim Nadali, who confirmed that the minimum age for participation in support roles—including patrols, checkpoints, and logistics—had been lowered to 12 under a campaign encouraging volunteers, Caliber.Az reports per Iran International.

“Given that the age of those coming forward has dropped … we lowered the minimum age to 12,” Nadali said, adding that 12- and 13-year-olds could take part if they wished.

Amnesty International condemned the move, saying: “The Iranian authorities are shamelessly encouraging children as young as 12 to join an IRGC-run military campaign.” The organisation noted that “recruiting children under 15 into the armed forces constitutes a war crime.”

The group cited video and eyewitness accounts reportedly showing minors deployed at checkpoints and on patrols, some carrying weapons, exposing them to significant risks as U.S. and Israeli strikes target IRGC-linked sites across Iran.

Concerns over the use of minors in security roles in Iran are not new. During the 2022 protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, images surfaced showing children and teenagers in military-style gear. Human rights groups have also accused Iranian authorities of killing child protesters in past crackdowns, with the Center for Human Rights in Iran reporting that more than 200 children were killed during unrest earlier this year.

Amnesty highlighted that the recruitment violates Iran’s commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the use of children in military activities, and called on authorities to immediately stop enlisting anyone under 18.

By Sabina Mammadli