Lawmakers in Iran confirmed Mehrdad Akhlaqi as the country’s new defense minister during a parliamentary session held via video conference on Tuesday.
Akhlaqi secured 237 votes in favor and 15 against, with zero abstentions, out of a total of 277 votes cast. Deputies voted after reviewing his proposed plans and listening to supporters and opponents.
The newly approved minister succeeds Aziz Nasirzadeh, who lost his life during initial US-Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28. Majid Ebn al-Reza served as acting defense minister in the interim.
Speaking to parliament before the vote, Akhlaqi warned that Iran would deliver a “surprising and extensive” response if the United States and Israel launched another assault.
“If the American-Zionist enemy once again makes a miscalculation, the response of the Iranian nation and the fighters of Islam will be surprising and extensive,” he told the assembly. He said Washington and its allies would bear full responsibility for any resulting regional and international consequences.
Akhlaqi told lawmakers he had featured on what he described as his enemies’ “assassination list” for 35 years. He pledged to reinforce the network referred to by Tehran as the “resistance front.”
Outlining his goals, the new minister cited the expansion of defense production throughout the domestic industrial network. He also committed to increasing research and restructuring the ministry to address current security threats.
Akhlaqi brings a long career as a senior official within the Defense Ministry to the role and previously headed Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization. He is already under US sanctions due to his involvement in the country’s missile programmes.
