Iran issues passive defense plan for 3 scenarios, including full-scale war

Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff has issued a nationwide passive defense directive outlining preparations for three possible scenarios: the end of war, a ceasefire, and full-scale war.

Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and chairman of the country’s Permanent Passive Defense Committee, issued the 10-article directive for Iran’s 2026 Passive Defense Commemoration programs, according to Fars News Agency on Tuesday.

Under the full-scale war scenario, large public gatherings and in-person events would be suspended, with activities instead focusing on operational preparedness, continuity of essential services, resource management, public assistance and coordination among relevant agencies.

In the event of a ceasefire without a definitive end to hostilities, the directive prioritizes public preparedness, vigilance against hybrid warfare and information security, while the end-of-war scenario provides for the full implementation of planned exercises, training and public programs.

The directive also calls for operational plans to be updated based on experiences from what it describes as Iran’s “second and third imposed wars.”

Iran has issued similar directives for its annual Passive Defense Commemoration in previous years, including 10-article instructions in 2024 and 2025 focusing on public preparedness and protecting critical infrastructure. The latest directive, however, comes amid the ongoing war with the US and explicitly sets out measures for three different conflict scenarios.

The US and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, targeting government buildings, military sites, missile infrastructure, and air defenses. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US bases across the region.

The conflict has since expanded across the region, while diplomatic efforts have sought to end the hostilities.

Before the current conflict, Iran and Israel had also fought a 12-day war in June 2025, which ended with a US-sponsored ceasefire.