🇮🇷 | Breaking — Mehrdad Akhlaghi appointed as Iran’s new Defense Minister:

Mehrdad Akhlaghi has been appointed Iran’s Minister of Defense following a vote by members of the Majles, succeeding the martyred former Defense Minister, Mr. Nasserzadeh Aziz.

Brigadier General Majid Ibn Reza had been serving as acting Defense Minister since March 2, 2026, following Nasserzadeh’s martyrdom. With Akhlaghi’s appointment, he will formally assume the responsibilities of the country’s Defense Minister.

Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi is regarded as a prominent figure in Iran’s defense and missile industries, with extensive experience in managing military and industrial institutions. In 2014, he assumed the presidency of the Iranian Aerospace Industries Organization, having previously headed the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, which is associated with Iran’s ballistic missile programme.

Born in 1958, Ketabchi has been subject to international sanctions linked to his role in Iran’s defense establishment. The United Nations Security Council listed him under its sanctions regime in 2007, and the United States subsequently imposed sanctions on him.

His appointment as Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics comes at a sensitive juncture, drawing on his background in the missile and aerospace sectors. His leadership assumes particular significance as the development of ballistic missiles, aerospace technologies, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) remains central to Iran’s defense strategy.

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