After months of interim leadership at the ministry, Iran's parliament has approved the appointment of Mehrdad Ahlaki Ketabchi as defence minister, state media reported. Ahlaki, a senior official in Iran's defence ministry, previously served as head of the country’s Aerospace Industries Organisation.
According to the IRNA, the members of parliament reviewed the qualifications and plans of Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi for the Ministry of Justice. The representatives spoke in his favour and against the proposed Minister of Defence, and the majority of representatives agreed to appoint Akhlaqi as the Minister of Defence and Armed Forces.
Akhlaqi possesses extensive experience across various sectors of the nation’s defence industry, having been active in research, design, and production. A significant portion of his career has been linked to the Aerospace Industries Organisation and the Defence Industries Organisation.
In his maiden speech, the new minister issued a warning to President Donald Trump, advising him to focus on getting American personnel out of the region safely, saying any new US attack on Iran would draw a broad response. “Trump should be thinking about getting his people out of the region safely,” Akhlaghi Ketabchi said on Sunday.
“If he drops one bomb, he should see how many of his people he will have to carry out horizontally,” he added, referring to potential US casualties.
Akhlaqi is already under US sanctions and has long been a target for assassination, according to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He expressed hope that he would take necessary precautions and that the organisation would also ensure his safety, allowing him to continue serving the nation and further expanding its defensive power.
His agenda
Besides restructuring the armed forces, Akhlaqi also aims to enhance Iran’s missile capabilities, develop intelligent systems, and strengthen air defence infrastructure. He vowed to pursue efforts to enhance the accuracy, range, and destructive power of surface-to-surface and cruise missiles with the aim of strengthening deterrence.
The development of various types of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)—including long-range, stealth, combat, and reconnaissance drones, as well as counter-drone systems—is also part of his medium-term agenda. Akhlaghi further emphasised the development of military satellites and the expansion of the country’s space capabilities.
