Tehran’s Young Volunteers Rewrite the Story of Crisis
WANA (Mar 16) – In a narrow street in southern Tehran, a group of young people is busy collecting broken glass in front of a residential building. Plastic sheets cover the second-floor windows, and the sound of brooms sweeping the asphalt breaks the quiet of the alley. Residents watch from half-open doors, some still in their home clothes, faces weary from the previous night.
These young volunteers do not live in the building. Most are university students, and only a day has passed since the incident that shook this neighborhood.
In recent days, as military attacks have impacted life in Tehran, a network of student volunteer groups has quickly mobilized across the city. Their mission goes beyond immediate relief—they work to restore order and calm in neighborhoods suddenly thrown into crisis.
A network formed in just a few days
According to organizers, a call to action was circulated among student jihadist groups as soon as the attacks began. Within a short period, more than 20 groups expressed readiness to operate in Tehran.
To prevent disorganization, activities were structured along three axes:
- Rapid-response teams for immediate presence at the incident site
- Urban stations (Mokebs) providing general services
- Follow-up teams that return to affected neighborhoods a day after each attack
This structure allowed volunteers to operate across the city in a more organized and coordinated manner.
A view of the aftermath of a strike on a police station, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Motorcycles arriving ahead of official responders
In the hours following the attacks, one recurring image on Tehran’s streets was of motorcycles weaving quickly through traffic. The riders were students operating as part of the rapid-response teams.
These teams typically consist of around ten members, using motorcycles to reach sites faster. Each group carries first-aid equipment and includes at least one trained medical responder.
But their work is not limited to assisting the injured. In the first minutes after an incident, the scene is often chaotic: crowds gathering out of curiosity, families hesitating to leave their homes, residents still stunned from the shock. In such situations, one of the volunteers’ first tasks is to calm the scene and guide the crowd.
Urban stations becoming community hubs
From the first days of the clashes, student presence took on a new form. Across Tehran, “Mokebs” were established—some run by universities, others in cooperation with the municipality.
Various universities set up stations near their campuses. Altogether, about 20 Mokebs are now active in the city.
At these stations, simple meals are distributed at Iftar—bread, cheese, dates, and small sandwiches prepared by volunteers.
Yet the role of the Mokebs goes beyond food distribution. As night falls, many of them become gathering points for residents, spaces for conversation, cultural programs, and sometimes symbolic activities, such as motorbike or car caravans passing by the stations.
Women prepare a makeshift memorial in tribute to Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on a street, after he was killed in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Saturday, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
Volunteers returning to the neighborhoods
A significant part of this network’s work begins once the initial chaos has subsided.
Almost a day after each attack, student groups return to affected neighborhoods. They collect broken glass, temporarily cover windows, remove debris, and assist in tidying homes if needed.
According to organizers, such activities have taken place in dozens of locations across Tehran. Initially, residents often viewed these volunteers with caution, but over time, trust has grown—some now actively request assistance.
Behind the scenes
Behind the on-the-ground operations is a broad network of volunteers. Much of the food preparation is managed by women’s student groups.
Daily, between 12,000 and 16,000 meals are distributed through city Mokebs. To meet this demand, even a bakery has been established, producing thousands of loaves of bread each day.
These breads are delivered to volunteers who assemble meals in homes or local bases. A significant portion of ingredients is also donated by citizens—simple, steady contributions from families and individuals with limited resources.
A man donates blood, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 7, 2026. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency)
A portrait of urban solidarity
In what is now known as the “Fatemeh al-Zahra Headquarters,” around 1,300 people participate in these efforts—a mix of students, volunteers, and people from towns surrounding Tehran.
Some municipal and relief organizations also collaborate, but many volunteers say the driving force behind this movement is the people’s own motivation.
In one neighborhood, a family whose home was damaged initially assumed that the students cleaning up were municipal workers. When they realized the effort was voluntary, the emotional response of the residents left a lasting impression on those present.
While the shadow of conflict still looms over the city, another image is visible in many alleys: young people with brooms, volunteers preparing food, and residents standing together.
In the heart of a multi-million-city, this volunteer network is striving to write a different story of crisis days—a story of a city where some citizens decide that in the hardest moments, they will not merely stand by and watch.
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