Iran approves new defence minister as war with United States and Israel escalates
Iran's parliament has approved Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as the country's new defence minister, as the war with the United States and Israel continues to intensify. The vote took place on Sunday, with lawmakers meeting online since the conflict began on February 28. Akhlaghi will lead the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics at a time when Tehran says it is working to rebuild damaged military-industrial capacity.
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Parliament backed the appointment by 237 votes to 15, according to the supplied report. Akhlaghi is 68 and has more than 42 years of experience in the Defence Ministry and related organisations, President Masoud Pezeshkian said. His background is described as centring on ballistic missiles, aerospace technology and defence-industrial production, and his plans were previously approved by senior military authorities and parliament's Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy.
The appointment follows the killing of former defence minister Aziz Nasirzadeh and other senior figures on the opening day of the war, according to the report. Majid Ebn-e Reza had been serving temporarily in the post and will now become Akhlaghi's deputy. The new minister is expected to oversee the rebuilding and expansion of military-industrial infrastructure that has been heavily targeted during the conflict.
The change matters because defence leadership is being reshaped in the middle of an active war, rather than after a ceasefire or political transition. That gives the appointment immediate operational significance for Iran's military planning, weapons production and industrial recovery. It also signals that Tehran is trying to preserve continuity in its defence institutions despite the loss of senior personnel and damage to key facilities.
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Akhlaghi's career has been closely tied to Iran's missile and aerospace programmes. He previously led the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, the Aerospace Industries Organization and the Defence Industries Organization, all of which are subject to US sanctions, and he is also under United Nations sanctions. The report says he has been associated with work on the Sejjil and Zolfaghar missile families, as well as precision-guided weapons including Almas missiles and Yasin guided bombs.
What remains unclear is how quickly Akhlaghi can translate his technical background into wartime recovery, and how much capacity remains after repeated strikes on military-industrial sites. It is also not clear how the conflict will develop or whether further leadership changes will follow. For now, the appointment suggests Iran is prioritising missile, aerospace and production capabilities as the war continues.
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