Iran's new Defence Minister Akhlaghi threatens 'enormous damage' if U.S. attacks — SkimNews
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- Mehrdad Akhlaghi was confirmed as Iran's Defence Minister by parliament with 237 votes in favour out of 277 cast, replacing Aziz Nasirzadeh who was killed in a February 28 U.S.-Israeli strike alongside Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
- Akhlaghi told reporters that if Washington resumes its military campaign, 'they themselves and the region will suffer enormous damage,' adding: 'they will most likely not dare to attack us.'
- Akhlaghi has worked in Iran's defence ministry for 42 years and has headed the Iranian Defence Industries Organisation since 2013, though he holds no military rank.
- The United Nations sanctioned Akhlaghi in 2007 over his alleged involvement in nuclear or ballistic missile activities.
- The appointment came nearly eight months after the initial U.S.-Israeli strikes that triggered the ongoing conflict, per state television.
Why it matters: Iran installs a 42-year defence-ministry veteran with deep ties to its weapons-manufacturing arm as Defence Minister during an active war with the US, and the UN-sanctioned official uses his first day on the job to publicly warn Washington of 'enormous damage' to its regional allies — underscoring Tehran's choice of continuity over conciliation at a leadership-vacuum moment.
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