Iran Names Missile Expert Akhlaghi as Defence Minister — SkimNews
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- Mehrdad Akhlaghi was approved as Iran's defence minister on Sunday by an online parliament, receiving 237 votes in favour and 15 against, replacing Aziz Nasirzadeh who was killed alongside Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on February 28 — the opening day of the US-Israel war.
- Akhlaghi brings more than 42 years of Defence Ministry experience, with state media citing his expertise in ballistic missiles, solid-fuel propulsion, aerospace technology, and military-industrial production.
- Akhlaghi previously headed the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, the Aerospace Industries Organization, and the Defence Industries Organization — all under US sanctions; he is also under UN sanctions and reportedly contributed to expanding the Sejjil and Zolfaghar ballistic missile families as well as precision-guided Almas missiles and Yasin guided bombs.
- Akhlaghi outlined priorities including faster military-industrial development, air defences, integration of emerging technologies with government and private firms, and expanded international military cooperation.
- Akhlaghi taunted US President Donald Trump in his first comments as minister, saying the US must "think of getting his forces out of our region in one piece" and warning that "if he drops one bomb, he must see how many of his troops he will have to evacuate horizontally."
- Iran's Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Reza Talaei-Nik said Akhlaghi's nomination reflected Iran's need to increase the quantity and quality of strategic weapons, particularly missiles and drones, with "offensive arms… actively improved."
Why it matters: Akhlaghi inherits a military-industrial base the US claims it has largely destroyed, yet Tehran says continues producing upgraded offensive and defensive systems outside the reach of American and Israeli bombs. Putting a career missile engineer — sanctioned by both Washington and the UN — in charge signals Tehran's bet on asymmetric escalation at the precise moment Trump has threatened the "mother of all bombs" against Iran's nuclear and energy infrastructure.
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