How the Islamic Republic in Iran Recruits and Trains Repressive Forces

Chapter One: Explaining the Ideological Educational System and the Roots of the Project

Every political system or ideological school of thought designs a specific educational system to preserve its values. However, what distinguishes the educational philosophy of the Islamic Republic in Iran from conventional models is the purposeful process of nurturing individuals who, as the ideological and executive arms of the regime, take on the responsibility of ideological infiltration into society, confronting critics, and participating directly in the apparatus of domestic repression.

Prior to this, the process of political socialization and the brainwashing of children in schools had been addressed—a process that injects intellectual loyalty to the regime from an early age. In this special report, we turn to another of the regime’s most key and cohesive cadre-building units, whose primary task is the attraction, screening, and ultimate recruitment of field forces for the Basij and the ideological layers of the ruling establishment: the “Basij Salehin Program” or “Salehin Educational Network.”

History, Formation, and Contexts of Development

• Within the Islamic Republic, this network is introduced in the official literature of the Basij as an educational, doctrinal, and organizational system, the operational core of which is the “Salehin Circle” (Halqe-ye Salehin). The initial roots of this circle-based model trace back to prior experiences of mosque-based cadre-building, particularly in Khuzestan province. According to the official structure, the primary designer and founder of the Basij Salehin circles process is Hojjat-al-Islam Saeed Dasmi, who initially established this model in the mosques of Ahvaz and Khuzestan province, and it was subsequently extended across the entire country. Nevertheless, an analysis of its evolution reveals that the nationwide expansion of this project was a structural response to crises of political legitimacy:
• Late 2000s (Post-Crisis Formulation): The planning and ideological formulation of this program dates back to 2009 (1388 AP). Following the events of the tenth presidential election, the regime expanded this model with the aim of reorganizing the intellectual training system of Basij members and controlling doctrinal vacuums.
• Early 2010s (Consolidation and National Expansion): The launch of the nationwide implementation of this program was triggered around 2011 (1390 AP), and since then, it has been consolidated and expanded as a capillary network at the national level.

Chapter Two: Anatomy of the Structure, Elements, and Organizational Pyramid of the Circles

Definition, Dimensions, and Characteristics of the “Salehin Circle”

On the surface, a Salehin Circle (Halqe-ye Salehin) is a cultural-educational gathering of 5 to 15 individuals of similar age or level (adolescents, youth, and adults) formed within contexts such as mosques, Basij resistance bases, schools, universities, or other echelons of the Basij. Ostensibly, these circles are established to foster the spiritual, behavioral, and intellectual growth of their members, carrying stated functions such as identity-building, skill acquisition, discourse-shaping, and cadre-building.

Core Operational and Executive Characteristics of the Circles:

• Small and Regular Groups: Sessions are conducted in limited gatherings to facilitate easier intellectual control and monitoring.
• Dialogue-Centric and Experience-Based: Unlike traditional classrooms, these circles are grounded in Q&A and guided discussion management, ensuring members do not feel subordinated and can adopt the ideas more easily.
• Focus on Moral and Behavioral Guidance: Efforts are directed toward placing the lifestyle and behavioral frameworks of the members under strict supervision.

Principal Characteristics of the Circle’s Mentor (Morabbi) or Leader (Sar-goruah)

In official descriptions, the mentor or group leader is recognized as the foundational pillar for content and organizational guidance. Mentors within this program typically share the following common traits:

1. Serving as a Behavioral Role Model: Above all, the mentor must personally embody the regime-approved ethics, discipline, religiosity, and conduct to project a charismatic persona.
2. High Interpersonal Communication Skills: Establishing an intimate, secure, and trusting relationship with adolescents and youth to infiltrate deeply into their psychological layers.
3. Dialogue Facilitation Skills: Proficiency in discussion management and running sessions in a workshop-style format, rather than delivering one-way lectures.
4. Familiarity with Religious and Ethical Foundations: Mastery sufficient to address doubts and provide simple, accessible, and ideologically directed answers to members’ questions.
5. Problem-Solving and Basic Counseling Skills: Intervening in the academic, family, or social matters of the members to transform the circle into the individual’s primary refuge and reference point.
6. Commitment and Continuity: Sustained and responsible presence, given that these circles cannot materialize through sporadic attendance and demand a continuous relationship.

Where is a Salehin Circle Mentor Trained?

The pipeline for supplying and developing mentors typically passes through four primary channels:

• The Basij Organization’s Educational Courses: Mentors receive training through official programs, including group leadership courses, educational mentorship courses, communication skills workshops, and doctrinal/ethical seminars.
• Mosques and Cultural Bases: Gaining practical experience by participating in local mosques and religious congregations (Heiyats).
• The Master-Apprentice System (Senior Mentors and Instructors): Novice mentors operate under the supervision of a senior mentor for a period to acquire practical field experience.
• Guided Independent Study: Personal development through approved books on ethics, religious psychology, and mandated theological topics.

Organizational Pyramid and Session Structure

This educational system is managed through a multi-layered, hierarchical network structured as follows:

1. Mentor (Morabbi / Senior Mentor): Responsible for training the group leaders (Sar-goruahs), designing educational programs, and supervising the quality of the circles.
2. Group Leader (Sar-goruah / Circle Facilitator): Conductor of the sessions, maintaining close contact and pursuing the weekly educational and behavioral tracking of the members.
3. Circle Members (Motarabbian / Trainees): Gatherings of 5 to 15 individuals who participate in dialogues, educational assignments, and collective activities.

Standard Process of a One-Hour Session:

• Opening and Ice-breaking (5–10 minutes): Building rapport and assessing the psychological status and weekly well-being of the members.
• Recitation or Inspiring Text (5 minutes): Reading a verse, Hadith, or a short ethical excerpt to cultivate a spiritual atmosphere.
• Main Discussion (30–45 minutes): Dialogue and guided Q&A regarding the designated topic of the session.
• Conclusion and Educational Assignment (5–10 minutes): Assigning a moral, behavioral exercise or a short reading for the following week.

Intellectual Sources and Teaching References in the Circles [Footnote 1]

The content injected into these circles is filtered through specific books compiled directly by the Basij Education and Training Deputy, or selected from traditional texts:

• Guidance booklets for the “Salehin Educational Program” and the “Salehin Mentor” (Basij Organization).
• Jurisprudential and ethical books: “Forty Hadiths” by Ruhollah Khomeini, and “Jihad al-Nafs (The internal spiritual and moral struggle against base desires, often referred to in Islamic theology as the ‘Greater Jihad’)” (Excerpts from Bihar al-Anwar).

Note to the reader: “Bihar al-Anwar” (Oceans of Lights) is a comprehensive compendium of Shia Hadiths (traditions and sayings attributed to the Prophet Muhammad and the Shia Imams). Compiled by the prominent Safavid-era scholar Mullah Mohammad-Baqir Majlesi (known as Allameh Majlesi) in the late 17th century, it is one of the largest and most influential narrative collections in Shia Islam, covering Islamic theology, history, ethics, and jurisprudence.

• Ideological exposition books: “The General Outline of Islamic Thought in the Qur’an” (Ali Khamenei) and “The Way of Life (Applied Ethics)”.

Note to the reader 1: The book “The General Outline of Islamic Thought in the Qur’an” is a compilation of lectures delivered by Ali Khamenei in 1974 (1353 AP) prior to the revolution. In recent years, it has been designated as one of the primary instructional texts and resources in the Basij Salehin circles, Velayat courses, and the regime’s cadre-building processes, making it mandatory for ideological-political forces to re-read and debate its contents.

Note to the reader 2: Aeen-e Zendegi (The Way of Life: Applied Ethics)” is a widely circulated textbook authored by Islamic scholar Ahmad Hossein Sharifi and used in Iran’s university-level courses on Islamic ethics. While the book presents itself as a synthesis of classical Islamic moral philosophy and practical guidance for contemporary life, its structure and content closely reflect the normative expectations of the Islamic Republic’s official moral doctrine. It organizes ethical obligations into five domains—academic conduct, professional and economic behavior, social relations, family life, and civic-political participation—each framed within state-sanctioned interpretations of Islamic virtue ethics. In practice, the textbook functions not only as a guide to personal morality but also as an instrument of ideological socialization, promoting forms of civic behavior and political engagement that align with the values and loyalty expectations of the ruling establishment. This dual role situates the book at the intersection of moral instruction and state-driven ethical governance.

• Official Basij websites, including the official information portal of the Salehin Program and the Basij Education and Training Deputy.

Footnote 1: Official Basij websites, including the Salehin Program Information Portal and the Basij Education and Training Deputy.

Chapter Three: The Process of Legitimizing Repression and the Teaching of “Political Insight” (Basirat) in the Islamic Republic

Is There Official Training for Repression Within the Salehin Circles? [Footnote 2- Details and technics]

The precise academic and documentary answer to this question is negative. In no official document, regulation, or approved educational curriculum within the Salehin circles does there exist operational and security training such as “confronting protesters,” “crowd control,” “detention techniques,” or “combat tactics.” This hardware-based training is provided within separate security and military structures, while the official nature of the circles themselves remains educational, ethical, and cultural.

However, the key reality lies within the functional mechanism of these circles:

Rather than “skills of repression,” the Salehin circles produce the “mentality and worldview that legitimizes repression.” By transmitting the ruling establishment’s intellectual framework, this system constructs a cognitive foundation through which the individual accepts violence or confrontation with dissidents as a moral virtue and a religious duty.

Anatomy of the Five Layers of Teaching “Political Insight” (Basirat) [Footnote 3]

Political insight within these circles is not an academic classroom lecture, but rather an educational-ideological package applied across 5 primary layers:

1. Mental Framing:

The mentor provides members with a psychological lens through which the world is divided into two absolute fronts: “Truth” (Haqq—represented by the Islamic Republic) and “Falsehood” (Batil—encompassing virtually the rest of the world). Under this framework, any domestic protest or crisis is deemed not a civil demand, but a new phase of the enemy’s “Soft War,” positioning the Supreme Leader as the sole axis for distinguishing truth from falsehood.

2. Narrative Building:

Contemporary history is taught in a selective and heavily biased manner. Events such as July 1999 (18 Tir 1378 – the student sedition), 2009 (1388 – the American sedition), 2017 and 2019 (1396 and 1398 – organized riots), 2022 (1401 – the Western regime-change project), and 2025 (1404 – the failed coup) are narrated in order to institutionalize a permanent sense of threat and the sacred nature of “defending the establishment” in the mind of the trainee.

3. Guided Media Literacy:

By screening clips or broadcasting foreign media reports, the mentor instructs members that these tools exist solely for “psychological warfare and fabricating lies.” The result of this method is the total erosion of trust in independent media and the monopolization of information authority within the words of the Supreme Leader and domestic state media.

4. Role Modeling:

Military figures, war casualties, and senior IRGC commanders are introduced as supreme role models with attributes such as “insightful” (Basir), “brave,” and “loyal to the guardianship” (Velayat-madar), aligning the individual’s identity with these symbols.

5. Moral Polarization:

Politics is extracted from the sphere of rational critique and transferred into the realm of faith. Consequently, “supporting the regime and obeying the Supreme Leader” is defined as a religious and moral duty and a sign of faith, while “criticism and protest” are characterized as a lack of insight (Bi-basirati) and sedition.

Chapter Four: Security Sociology in the Islamic Republic and the Link Between the Circles and the Recruitment Structure

Why Do Certain Individuals Transition from Within the Salehin Circles into Repressive Roles?

Three indirect yet structural factors enable individuals nurtured within these circles to easily assume stringent and security-oriented roles:

• Ideological Identity-Building: When an individual deeply believes that the regime is sacred, that the enemy is omnipresent, and that confronting protesters is a “moral duty and a defense of values,” they become psychologically prepared to accept violent roles.
• Organizational Networking: The circles serve as the primary entry point into the broader structure of the Basij. Within this environment, individuals are channeled into higher echelons (Active Basij, Special Basij, security units, intelligence agencies, and rapid response units). The Salehin Circle is the environment for identifying and vetting, recruitment, and connecting this human chain.
• Creating an “Ideological Family” Sentiment: Being placed within an intimate network fulfills the individual’s need for social belonging; consequently, to maintain the approval of their mentors and peers, they more readily accept harsher operational roles.

Psychological Typology of Individuals Recruited into Security Roles

Based on research in security sociology, there are five major personality types drawn to these structures, and the Salehin circles handle precisely the initial screening and nurturing of them:

1. Individuals with a Strong Ideological Identity: Those who view the world through a binary lens (Us/The Enemy) and possess an intense sense of religious obligation.
2. Individuals with a Need for Structure and Order: Personalities seeking distinct frameworks, who are obedient, thrive under hierarchies, and feel insecure in unstructured environments.
3. Individuals with Socio-Economic Motivations: Those seeking job security, a fixed salary, organizational benefits, and rapid promotion.
4. Individuals with Need for Power or Influence: Psychological types who derive a sense of meaning from exercising authority and being involved in key decisions.
5. Individuals with Personal Experience of Threat or Violence: Those who, due to family or environmental backgrounds, do not fear violence and are willing to perform the role of a “stringent protector.”

Chapter Five: Statistical Distribution, Geographical Spread of the Salehin Circles in the Islamic Republic, and Final Conclusion

The Scope of the Circles’ Activities (Statistics and Structure)

The Salehin circles represent one of the most extensive educational-ideological networks in the Islamic Republic in Iran. Operating as a subsidiary of the Basij Organization, they are active across three primary sectors: neighborhoods, schools (students), and universities. Aggregated and official statistics from the Organization of the Basij of the Oppressed and the High Headquarters of the Shajareh-ye Tayyibah-ye Salehin reveal:

According to the regime’s latest official reports, the number of active circles across the entire country has stabilized between 200,000 and 250,000 circles. This total encompasses adolescent, youth, adult, and specialized circles.

Macro Aggregated and Harmonized National Statistical Table

To resolve contradictions arising from varying publication years across provincial sources, the macro and authoritative indicators of this educational network are classified as follows:

Final Conclusion

The “Basij Salehin Program” is not a marginal or traditional program; rather, it is part of a continuous, multi-layered, and engineered structure within the Islamic Republic in Iran designed for the reproduction of political loyalty and ideological cadre-building. By operating actively within the most capillary layers of society (from major metropolitan areas to remote villages, schools, universities, mosques, and neighborhoods), these circles perform a vital function in screening and nurturing forces that defend the ruling establishment.

Analysis of this structure demonstrates that the establishment in Iran, relying on these cohesive educational models, has created a sustainable framework for reproducing its ideology. This process not only suppresses freedom of thought, belief, and human rights within Iran’s borders, but also serves as a hazardous structural template for promoting fundamentalism and extremist methodologies internationally. This institutional sustainability poses a fundamental, long-term challenge to both domestic democratic transformation and regional stability; this reality underscores that any international strategy to counter this challenge must move beyond purely political-military approaches and focus on neutralizing the digital platforms, financial resources, and intellectual conduits of this ideological recruitment machine by actively supporting pluralistic and intellectual alternatives.

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Footnote 1: Links and References

The following official URLs and reference links correspond to the ideological sources, teaching materials, and institutional bodies of the Salehin Network cited throughout this report:

Official Institutional Portals

• Official Information Portal of the Salehin Program: http://salehin.ir

• Basij Education and Training Deputy (Official Website): https://basij.ir

• “Salehin Educational Program” Official Guidance Booklet: https://bonyaddefa.ir/uploads/salehin.pdf

Ethical, Doctrinal, and Training Manuals

• “Forty Hadiths” (Chehel Hadith) by Ruhollah Khomeini: https://www.imam-khomeini.ir/fa/c78_113/چهل_حدیث

• “Jihad al-Nafs” (Struggle of the Soul – Excerpts from Bihar al-Anwar): https://lib.eshia.ir/10088/1/0

• “The General Outline of Islamic Thought in the Qur’an” by Ali Khamenei: https://ketab.ir/book/طرح-کلی-اندیشه-اسلامی-در-قرآن

• “The Way of Life: Applied Ethics” (Aeen-e Zendegi): https://ketab.ir/book/آیین-زندگی

Footnote 2: Details and Techincs

Within the Salehin circles, there is no official or structured training aimed at justifying repression, violence, or security-related confrontations. According to official documents, the nature of these sessions is educational-ethical-cultural, rather than security-oriented or operational.

However…

The critical reality is that any ideological institution, whether in Iran or any other country, typically transmits its own worldview. Therefore, within the Salehin circles:

• The official perspective of the Islamic Republic
• A specific narrative of the revolution
• The concept of “submissiveness to the guardianship” (Velayat-paziri)
• The concept of “defending the regime”
• And “revolutionary identity”

are raised as part of identity-based upbringing.

While these do not constitute direct training for repression, they can construct a mental framework in which:

• “Preserving the establishment of the Islamic Republic” is viewed as a paramount value
• “Obeying the Supreme Leader” is considered a virtue
• “Confronting the enemy” is presented as a moral duty

In certain individuals, these types of frameworks may lead to the acceptance of more stringent roles within the structure of the Basij or security forces.

To be more precise: What elements are raised within the circles that can create the cognitive groundwork for an individual to transform into an agent of repression?

The following are typically observed within the circles:

• “Adherence to the guardianship” (Velayat-madari)
• “Defending the revolution”
• “Combating the soft war”
• “Enemy recognition” (Doshman-shenasi)
• “Political insight” (Basirat)
• “Preserving the values of the regime”

Why do some individuals transform from within the Salehin circles into more stringent or repressive roles? What role do the Salehin circles play in shaping the “mentality”?

1) The Salehin circles do not provide practical training for repression

In no official document, educational curriculum, or structure of the Salehin circle does there exist training such as:

• Confronting protesters
• Crowd control
• Security operations
• Combat tactics
• Detention methods

These are taught within separate security/military structures, not within educational circles.

2) However, the Salehin circles transmit a specific worldview

This section is critical. Within the circles, the following concepts are typically raised:

• “Preserving the regime is the most binding of all duties” (Ojab-e Vajibat)
• “Submissiveness to the guardianship” (Velayat-paziri)
• “Enemy recognition” (Doshman-shenasi)
• “Soft war” (Jang-e Narm)
• “Political insight” (Basirat)
• “Defending the revolution”
• “Revolutionary identity”

These do not constitute training for repression, but they build a mental framework in which:

• The political system is presented as sacred and beyond critique
• Political dissent is viewed as a threat
• Protests may be interpreted as “sedition” (Fitnah) or the enemy’s “soft war”
• Obeying the Supreme Leader is presented as a moral virtue

This worldview can create the cognitive groundwork for accepting more stringent roles. Therefore, the Salehin circles shape the “mentality,” not the “skills of repression”

In other words, what the circles actively perform consists of:

• Identity-building
• Ideology-shaping
• Ethical-political upbringing
• Strengthening loyalty to the regime
• Creating a sense of duty to defend the government

Why do certain individuals enter repressive roles from within these circles? It is due to three indirect factors:

1) Ideological Identity-Building

When an individual believes that:

• The regime is sacred
• The enemy is everywhere
• Protest is a threat
• Obedience is a religious duty

They develop psychological readiness for harsher roles.

2) Organizational Networking

The circles are typically the primary entry point into the structure of the Basij. From here, individuals are channeled into:

• Active Basij
• Special Basij
• Security units
• Intelligence agencies

3) Selection of Individuals with a Revolutionary Disposition

The circles help identify “suitable” individuals.

Conclusion:

• The Salehin circles do not provide training for repression.
• However, they transmit a worldview that can make repression appear legitimate to certain individuals.
• And it is this very worldview that channels individuals into security structures.

This section explains how the three afore-mentioned structural factors within the Islamic Republic’s framework enable certain individuals to transition from the Salehin circles into repressive roles, without the circles themselves explicitly or practically providing training for repression.

Ideological Identity-Building

This represents the most critical component. While the Salehin circles are officially categorized as “educational-ethical,” in practice, they forge a robust political-ideological identity. This identity typically instills the following doctrines:

• “Preserving the regime is the most binding of all duties” (Ojab-e Vajibat)
• “Obeying the Supreme Leader is a religious obligation”
• “Protester = Deceived by the enemy”
• “The West and foreign media are the enemy”
• “The revolution is under a permanent state of threat”
• “Jihad is not confined to warfare; defending the regime is also Jihad”

While these doctrines do not constitute direct training for repression, they construct a cognitive lens through which:

• The government is viewed as sacred and immune to rational critique
• Political protest is interpreted as an existential threat
• Confronting a protester is presented as a “moral duty”
• State-sponsored violence is construed as the “defense of values”

Consequently, individuals within these circles develop the psychological readiness and mental alignment required to assume harsher operational roles.

Organizational Networking

The Salehin circles are not merely instructional classes; they function as the baseline gateway into the broader structure of the Basij. In practice, the circles perform three systematic tasks:

A) Identifying “Suitable” Individuals:

Group leaders and mentors routinely identify trainees who demonstrate specific behavioral traits:

• Obedience and compliance
• Strong ideological motivation
• Active engagement in collective activities
• Evident political loyalty

These specific individuals are subsequently recommended for elevated roles within the hierarchy.

B) Connection to Higher Echelons:

From these circles, selected individuals are systematically channeled toward the following institutional pathways:

• Active Basij (Basij-e Fa’al)
• Special Basij (Basij-e Vije)
• Security Battalions (Gordan-ha-ye Amniyati)
• Intelligence Apparatuses
• Rapid Response Units (Yegan-ha-ye Vakonesh-e Sari)

Although this formal transfer is not part of the explicit curriculum taught within the circles, the circles themselves serve as the primary environment for identification, vetting, and absorption.

C) Cultivating an “Ideological Family” Sentiment:

When an individual is integrated into an intimate, ideologically cohesive network, their propensity to accept harsher assignments escalates because:

• They experience a deep sense of social belonging
• They seek to avoid alienation or detachment from the group
• They possess an intrinsic desire to be “useful”
• They actively pursue the validation and approval of their mentors and peers

This dynamic constitutes the core mechanism of organizational networking.

Selection of Individuals with a Revolutionary Disposition

This component is fundamentally pivotal. Within the Salehin circles, mentors actively monitor and screen for specific indicators among the participants:

• Unwavering loyalty to the ruling system
• Pronounced interest in political-ideological activities
• Readiness for “self-sacrifice”
• Absolute acceptance of the state’s official narrative regarding the enemy
• High motivation for field and operational activities
• Submissiveness and obedience to hierarchy

Once such an individual is identified through this screening process:

• They are referred to advanced, higher-level training courses
• They are invited to participate in Active Basij operations
• They undergo strict vetting within security-intelligence programs
• And, if deemed compatible, they are fully integrated into harsher operational structures

Thus, the circles function as the foundational site for the initial identification and incubation of these assets.

Summary:

The Salehin Circles:

• Do not provide tactical training for repression.
• Construct a worldview that renders repression “legitimate” and morally justifiable to certain individuals.
• Build the human network that connects civilian participants to specialized security structures.
• Identify individuals possessing a revolutionary disposition and systematically guide them toward harsher operational pathways.

Context of Formation

This section addresses why this specific educational model (such as the Salehin circles) was developed within the Islamic Republic in Iran. This educational model is the product of a combination of several historical, political, and social factors. When these factors are synthesized, it becomes entirely clear why such a structure was established:

1) The Experience of the 1979 Revolution and the Need to “Preserve Achievements”

Following the revolution, the new ruling establishment perceived that:

• The revolution was fragile.
• Domestic and foreign enemies were numerous.
• The younger generation had to remain “revolutionary.”

Consequently, an educational model was required to systematically reproduce political loyalty.

2) The Experience of the Iran–Iraq War

The 8-year war resulted in the following dynamics:

• “Jihad,” “self-sacrifice” (Isar), and “defense” became pivotal core values.
• The Basij was consolidated as a popular, mobilized force.
• The government concluded that subsequent generations must also possess this “defensive disposition.”

This historical experience formed the ideological bedrock of the circles.

3) Anxiety Regarding the “Soft War” and Cultural Collapse

From the 2000s (1380s AP) onward, the Iranian government became intensely anxious about:

• The Internet
• Satellite television
• Foreign media
• The Western lifestyle

The Salehin circles were designed as a direct structural response to this anxiety—an educational system built to control the narrative and shape the identity of the younger generation.

4) The Need for Organizational Networking

For their survival, ruling systems inherently require:

• Loyal forces
• Socio-political networks
• Popular mobilization structures (such as the Basij)

The Salehin circles perform precisely this function: constructing a network of like-minded, loyal, and highly organized individuals.

Footnote 3: Mechanism and Operation

Conclusion: How Does “Political Insight” (Basirat) Operate?

Political insight within the Salehin circles:

• Is not political analysis
• Is not the teaching of political science
• Is not security or tactical training

Rather, it is:

• A political-religious identity-building system
• That divides the world into two absolute fronts
• And defines the individual’s role as “defending the establishment”
• And interprets every political event within the framework of a “Soft War”

This model causes certain individuals to:

• View protest as an existential threat
• Consider confronting protesters as a moral and religious duty
• Regard security-oriented roles as a “sacred service”

The circles themselves do not provide practical training for repression; they solely construct the necessary cognitive mindset.