CAIRO (AP) — Hundreds of thousands of Iranians gathered for a government-organized rally on Friday, pledging their readiness to take up arms in the biggest such demonstration since the United States and Israel launched the war with the Islamic Republic in February.

Iran’s government has sought to rally the people and stress national unity, even as the economy worsens under a US naval blockade of Iranian ports and new US sanctions meant to increase Tehran’s economic pain.

Estimates varied of the number of people volunteering to receive limited military training and defend the country in an effort described as “Janfaday-e Iran,” or the “ones who sacrifice their lives for Iran.” They marched through downtown Tehran in combat uniform, carrying flags, as onlookers cheered.

For days, state media have encouraged Iranians to join the campaign, saying training with assault rifles would begin soon. The volunteers would be an additional layer of security in addition to the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps paramilitary and its all-volunteer arm, the Basij.

Tehran’s IRGC chief, Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, told the state broadcaster that over 600,000 people had registered to participate, with over 1 million expected to take part in the training. On Friday morning, the broadcaster estimated over 300,000 people were on the streets.

The new head of the Basij, Hossein Taeb,........

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