TEHRAN – As the all-out war enters its fourth week, Iran’s streets still remain filled each night with the faithful people who choose presence over seeking refuge in shelters.

From Tehran to Mashhad, from Ahvaz to Zahedan, and from northern cities such as Sari and Babol to northwestern ones like Tabriz, these assemblies have achieved remarkable scale and consistency no matter driven by faith, grief, duty, or a confluence of these factors. 
In some regions, participants have gathered despite rainfall. In others, such as Ardabil, the marches have been accompanied by traditional music, lending a distinct cultural dimension to the demonstrations.
Almost everywhere, photos of the martyred Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, as well as other fallen officials and military commanders, are prominently displayed, which may reflect both mourning and a sense of continuity. 

In the early days of the conflict, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf highlighted “the street” as a central arena of public engagement, while military figures echoed similar sentiments, suggesting a division of roles between civilians and armed forces. “There are three priorities for the public: “street, street, street,” Ghalibaf said. 
“Dear Iranian people: streets with you, [battle] fields with us,” said the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ aerospace forces, Majid Mousavi, in a post on X a week after the war began.

Voices from the streets

Talking to the Tehran Times, a mother attending the rallies with her children in Enqelab Square, described her participation as both an act of support and a form of education. She cited that she feels no fear bringing her children into such an environment, stating that she wants them to understand that “sacrifice for one’s country is the greatest honor.” 

A man sitting beside her wife and daughter, said: “All those who claimed they would save the Iranian people ended up attacking us. Those who said they were defenders of women and girls were the very ones who killed them.” 

Mahtab, a young woman sporting a red hat, said: “The ones who called on people to take to the streets did not even issue a message for the large number of innocent people who martyred in airstrikes.”
Probably hinting to pro-monarchy opposition voices, she added: “Now all the people have become aware and awakened. We will never wash hands from supporting our government.”
The Tehran Times further spoke to a participant, a man in his sixties, who framed the gatherings in a form of resistance to foreign influence. He then referred to civilian casualties in recent airstrikes, particularly the deaths of children, as evidence that the U.S. cannot be trusted.

A younger participant, a teenager, expressed a more assertive stance, emphasizing the country’s military capabilities and warning adversaries against underestimating Iran’s strength. His comments, delivered with clenched fists, reflected a mix of youthful fervor and national pride.

Akbar, a 55-year-old man attending the rallies with his family, offered a perspective that combines personal faith with strategic reasoning. He described his participation as a “religious duty” and suggested that maintaining order in the streets allows military forces to focus on external threats. “We are protecting the streets, so you can go and fight without concern,” he said.

Mousa, a 36-year-old participant, stated that the gatherings aim to ensure that foreign adversaries cannot rely on internal unrest as a means of achieving their ends. “We are here to guarantee that our enemies cannot rely on street protests as a path to regime change... We want to keep this presence for as long as necessary to support our country and its soldiers.”

Another attendee emphasized that the demonstrations has nothing to do with enforcing strict social norms but about preserving national unity.

A young man, whose wife wears a full black chador, said “I am not interested in politics but we have to take streets now to secure our future.”
“We will stay in the streets as long as needed, even if their missiles kill us,” another participant, who said was a retired man, told the Tehran Times. 

A blend religious, political, and national themes

An essential feature of these gatherings is about slogans chanted by people, many of which blend religious, political, and national themes.
“Hussein, Hussein is our slogan; martyrdom is our honor.” (In a reference to sacrifices of the third Shia Imam (A.S.) who was martyred in the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE)

“The blood in our veins is a gift to our Leader.”

“Who is tired? The enemy!”

“Death to America, death to Israel.”

“Allahu Akbar (God is greater [than everything]), Khamenei is our Leader.”

There was also a group of chanting women, who cried: “We swear by those clenched fists that this flag will never fall to the ground.”

In a time when war often pushes societies inward, this novel Iranian experience, demonstrates a collective expression of heroism that continues to unfold night after night.

AM