Iran’s security forces are recruiting children as young as 12 to man checkpoints and perform other duties during the war in the capital, AFP reports citing an official from the Revolutionary Guard who spoke to state TV.

Iranian authorities have launched a recruitment drive dubbed “For Iran” in Tehran to register people to join the security forces, lowering the minimum age of recruits to 12.

Rahim Nadali, an official with the Guards in Tehran, told state television that people as young as 12 could register to help the Guards and the Basij youth volunteer militia stand “against the global bully”, a term used for the United States.

The tasks include “collecting security data and operational patrols” as well as organising caravans of cars at night in the city, he said.

“At the Basij checkpoints and patrols that you see across the cities, we had a very high number of volunteers among young people and teenagers who wanted to participate,” he said.

“Considering the ages of those requesting to join, we have now lowered the minimum age to 12 years old, because children aged 12-13 want to be involved.”