🇮🇷⚡️ — Iran’s parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as the country’s new defense minister today, ending months of interim leadership following the killing of former minister Aziz Nasirzadeh in U.S.-Israeli strikes in February.

Akhlaqi, a longtime defense industry official with experience in Iran’s aerospace and missile programs, replaces acting minister Majid Ebn al-Reza.

The new minister pledged to rebuild Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure, accelerate weapons development and strengthen cooperation with private companies.

Akhlaqi also warned that any renewed U.S. attack would trigger a “surprising and extensive” response, adding that Iran had prepared measures to counter the potential use of the American “Mother of All Bombs.”