Iran Gets New Defence Minister After 8 Months; Mehrdad Akhlaghi Warns US of ‘Enormous Damage’
Akhlaghi takes charge after his predecessor was killed in US-Israeli strikes; warns that Washington and the wider Middle East region will suffer enormous damage if the US resumes military action against Iran.**
Experienced defence official Mehrdad Akhlaghi has been appointed as Iran’s new defence minister. The country’s parliament approved his appointment on Sunday, filling the position left vacant after former Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed on the first day of the war with the United States. Shortly after his appointment, Akhlaghi issued a strong warning to Washington, stating that the United States and the wider Middle East region would suffer “enormous damage” if Washington launched another military campaign against Iran.
Speaking to reporters, the newly appointed defence minister said, “People can rest assured that they will most likely not dare to attack us. If they do, they themselves and the region will suffer enormous damage.”
According to Iranian state television, the appointment came nearly eight months after the initial US-Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict. Government website information showed that Akhlaghi secured parliamentary approval with 237 votes in favour out of a total of 277 votes cast.
Notably, on February 28, a US-Israeli attack on a leadership compound in Iran killed former Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several senior military commanders.
Before the parliamentary vote, Akhlaghi told Iran’s ISNA news agency that he would be taking charge of the Defence Ministry at an extremely sensitive juncture. He emphasised that defending the country under such circumstances required an accurate assessment of the situation, an understanding of the factors driving developments, the identification of influential trends and preparedness to face various possible future scenarios.
Although Akhlaghi does not hold a military rank, he has worked in Iran’s Defence Ministry for the past 42 years. Since 2013, he has also headed the Iranian Defence Industries Organisation, the country’s state-owned weapons manufacturer.
Meanwhile, the United Nations sanctioned Akhlaghi in 2007 over his alleged involvement in nuclear or ballistic missile-related activities.
Against this backdrop of heightened tensions, the new Iranian defence minister’s stern warning has once again brought the conflict between Iran and the United States into the international spotlight.
