The appointment fills a vacancy that had been held on an acting basis since February, when former defense minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed in a US-Israeli strike on Tehran during the 40-day war. Following his approval, Akhlaghi Ketabchi told US President Donald Trump that Washington should focus on removing American personnel from the region, stating that any new bomb dropped would result in casualties being carried out "horizontally."
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
Story
Iran Parliament Confirms Mehrdad Akhlaghi as Defense Minister in 237 15 Vote
War3 days ago
A 237 to 15 vote by the Iranian parliament on Sunday finalized the appointment of Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi to lead the Ministry of Defense, with no abstentions out of 277 votes cast. Nominated by President Masoud Pezeshkian, Akhlaghi Ketabchi has served at the ministry for 42 years in technical and managerial roles. He stated upon his confirmation that Iran's updated defense capabilities have changed enemy calculations and warned of a widespread response to any miscalculations by the US or Israel.
Looking for more context or analysis?
Tilt chat provides reliable, tailored insights, alerts, and automations.