By Kayhan Life Staff
On June 23 — the 12th day of the war between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Israel — Tehran-based Farda News reported that senior officials from Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff had granted local commanders the authority to take severe measures against any cases of desertion or disobedience among soldiers and officers across all branches of the security forces.
“In recent days, reports have surged about a rising number of soldiers, officers, and officials failing to report to their units, defying orders, and in some cases, fleeing and going into hiding in safe houses,” the report said.
“In addition to cases of treason and collaboration with the enemy, there have also been reports of individuals acting out of personal fear or concern for their families — particularly as many units have suffered damage from enemy attacks and the civilian situation remains perilous,” the report noted.
“Senior judicial officials from the Armed Forces General Staff have completed a comprehensive review of directives related to desertion and delivered a clear and decisive message to all military branches,” the report explained.
The report cited Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and said: “The Islamic Republic is currently in a state of emergency and engaged in a war against a determined adversary. Under these challenging conditions, maintaining strict discipline among officers, soldiers, and law enforcement personnel across all military branches is critical.”
“Any act of disobedience or desertion is viewed as a grave threat to national security and will be treated as treason, irrespective of whether it stems from personal motives or an intent to assist the enemy,” the report added.
The report also reiterated that disobedience could be met with the ultimate punishment — execution — and warned that even family members could face repercussions.
“The punishment for treason is execution. All members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Basij forces, and Law Enforcement Forces are reminded that any act of disobedience to their unit’s orders or regulations puts their own lives at risk and could expose their families to similar accusations,” it said.
The signs are that the Islamic Republic has once again turned to espionage and informant tactics, seeking to turn citizens against one another during a time of war.
“The public is urged by intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Intelligence to report instances of desertion or disobedience. Such information is crucial to the Republic’s security and ensuring our triumph over the enemy,” the report added.
Since the war between Israel and the Islamic Republic began at dawn on June 13, numerous members of the Islamic Republic’s military and security forces have been killed or injured—despite Israel issuing evacuation warnings before striking these sites.
In some cases, however, base commanders refused to evacuate their personnel from targeted locations, leading to higher casualties among the military, police, and security units.
