Abandoned

🚨 “Our commanders have abandoned us. They’re hiding like rats.”

An Iranian soldier in Lorestan says commanders have deserted their posts and gone into hiding fearing Israeli and US bombardment, leaving conscripts like him to face the danger alone.

He says soldiers are sleeping… pic.twitter.com/QdAKuVLiZU

— The Iran Watcher 🇮🇷 (@TheIranWatcher) March 6, 2026

… outside in barracks yards, the desert, and the wilderness out of fear.

Reports like this are becoming increasingly common, with soldiers saying their commanders are sacrificing their lives while protecting their own.

Following the killing of Ali Khamenei and dozens of military commanders, some officers have abandoned their barracks, leaving soldiers in dangerous conditions and forcing them to remain on guard duty under ongoing bombardment, multiple conscripts have told Iran International.… pic.twitter.com/RDcpEhldkX

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) March 6, 2026

… After Khamenei was killed in Tehran on February 28, confusion and divisions have emerged within the command structure of Iran’s military forces, the conscripts said.

In a military base in Lorestan province, several soldiers reported uncertainty over the chain of command and growing security concerns after the recent developments.

In a message, one soldier said many commanders left their posts to avoid potential US and Israeli strikes, leaving ordinary conscripts behind in the barracks without support.

According to the soldier, fear of bombardment has led some troops to spend nights outside the base, resting in nearby open areas despite the cold weather.