Iran Parliament Approves Mehrdad Akhlaghi as Defense Minister

Iran's parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as defense minister on Sunday, ending months of interim leadership at the ministry.

Akhlaghi replaces Majid Ebn al-Reza, who took over after then Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed by US-Israeli strikes in February. Akhlaghi has spent decades in Iran's defense industry, holding senior roles in its aerospace and missile sectors, and is subject to US and EU sanctions. In a program presented to lawmakers, Akhlaghi pledged to rebuild the country's military-industrial infrastructure, accelerate defense technology development, and expand cooperation with private-sector companies.

He warned that if the "American enemy makes another miscalculation," the response from the valiant Iranian people and the fighters of Islam will be surprising and extensive. Akhlaghi added that Tehran has taken necessary measures to counter the potential use by the US of its mother of all bombs against Iran. CNN reported this week that the US has developed strike plans that could include using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders renewed combat operations.

Akhlaghi stated that the US President should focus on ensuring his forces are withdrawn safely from the region, warning that if he drops a single bomb, he will have to see how many of his troops end up being carried out of the region in a horizontal position. Akhlaghi has worked in the Defense Ministry for 42 years and has headed the Iranian Defense Industries Organization since 2013. The United Nations sanctioned Akhlaghi in 2007 over alleged involvement in nuclear or ballistic missile activities.