New Delhi: Iran’s parliament on Sunday has approved Mehrad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as the country’s new defence minister. Ketabchi has took the charge of Iran’s defence production and military procurement as Tehran faces threat of renewed conflicts with United States and Israel. His appointment will end the interim leadership at the ministry following the killing of his predecessor Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh during the war.
Ketabchi secured 237 votes in favour and 15 against, with no abstentions, according to ISNA. Lawmakers approved his appointment after reviewing his qualification and proposed programmes during a virtual open session.
He will replace Majid Ebn al-Reza, who served in an interim capacity after former defence minister was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February.
The new defence minister brings decades of experience in Iran’s defence industry, including senior positions in its aerospace and missile sectors, Reuters reported. He is also under US and European Union sanctions over his work in the country’s defence sector.
Akhlaghi also pledged to rebuild Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure, speed up the development of defence technologies and expand cooperation with private-sector companies. These priorities point to an effort to strengthen domestic production and reduce the challenges of obtaining military equipment and technology under international sanctions.
Ketabchi warns of wider response to US attack
Ketabchi appointment comes amid uncertainty over whether the United States could resume military operations against Iran. He warned Washington against launching another attack and said Iran had taken measures to counter potential US military action.
“If the American enemy makes another miscalculation, the response of the valiant Iranian people and the fighters of Islam will be surprising and extensive,” Akhlaghi said, according to Reuters.
He also referred to the possible use of the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast bomb, commonly known as the “mother of all bombs”. The remarks followed an earlier report that US military plans could include strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if the United States president, Donald Trump, orders renewed combat operations.
Ketabchi further warned the US president against continuing military action, saying Washington should focus on ensuring the safe withdrawal of its forces from the region. His statements signal that Iran’s new defence leadership is preparing for the possibility of another confrontation even as the country faces the challenge of rebuilding its military-industrial base.
The immediate challenge for Ketabchi will be to translate his proposed defence reforms into stronger production capacity and military preparedness while navigating sanctions and the risk of renewed US-Israeli strikes.