‘Would join war if necessary’: Iran state TV airs rifle-handling segments amid rising West Asia tensions

Posted on by Taiwo Adebulu

2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 18, 2026 02:48 PM IST

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Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Iranian state television on Friday night broadcasted a series of unusual studio segments showing presenters handling rifles and discussing weapons training, suggesting they would be prepared to join the conflict if necessary.

The broadcasts, aired across at least three separate programs, showed television hosts learning how to operate firearms on air. Clips from the segments were later circulated by Iranian media outlets and widely shared across social media platforms.

Several online commentators interpreted the broadcasts as a symbolic display of wartime preparation.

American political commentator Jackson Hinkle who is known for his pro-Iran and anti-Israel stance, claimed on X that Iranian state television was demonstrating the use of AK-47 rifles as preparation for a potential US ground invasion.

Another social media account focused on military equipment and conflict footage said the channels appeared to be providing basic weapons-handling guidance. The account also identified the firearm shown in the broadcasts as an early East German MPi-KMS assault rifle, according to the Iran International news agency reports.

The televised clip comes at a time of raised uncertainty over whether hostilities in Iran, US and Israel could intensify again. However, the programs themselves appeared largely symbolic, centred on instructional demonstrations and displays of national preparedness rather than any formal mobilisation announcement.

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