Mehrdad Akhlaghi: Iran’s newly appointed defence minister with a tech focus
Iran has named Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as its new defence minister as the country braces for an expected escalation in its conflict with the United States. The 68‑year‑old was confirmed by a parliamentary vote held online on Sunday, with 237 lawmakers supporting his appointment and 15 opposing it.
Akhlaghi steps into the role after former defence minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed, along with many senior officials and, according to state reports, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, on the first day of the war that began on February 28. In the interim, Majid Ebn‑e Reza served as acting minister and will now serve as Akhlaghi’s deputy.
The new minister is tasked with rebuilding and expanding Iran’s military‑industrial complex, which has been heavily targeted by U.S. and Israeli strikes. His defence strategy received prior approval from senior military leaders, President Masoud Pezeshkian, and the parliamentary Commission on National Security and Foreign Policy. Pezeshkian emphasized that Iran does not seek to provoke aggression but will defend its territory “strongly and to the death against any aggression.”
President Pezeshkian noted that Akhlaghi brings more than four decades of experience within the defence establishment. His main areas of expertise include ballistic missiles, solid‑fuel propulsion, aerospace technology and the production side of the defence industry, according to state media. He has previously headed the Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group, the Aerospace Industries Organization and the Defence Industries Organization, all of which are subject to U.S. and United Nations sanctions.
Over the years, Akhlaghi has been linked to the development of several missile families and precision‑guided weapons. Reports from the IRGC‑affiliated newspaper Tasnim credit him with expanding the Sejjil and Zolfaghar ballistic‑missile lines, as well as the Almas missiles and Yasin guided bombs. He is also said to have worked on space launchers, research rockets and infrastructure at the Imam Khomeini Space Center in Semnan—capabilities that have featured in Iran’s confrontations with Israel and the United States.
Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier General Reza Talaei‑Nik said Akhlaghi’s nomination reflects Tehran’s desire to boost both the quantity and quality of its strategic weapons, particularly missiles and drones. “Offensive arms are being actively improved,” he told reporters.
Although the United States repeatedly claims to have crippled Iran’s military‑industrial capacity, Tehran insists it retains substantial offensive and defensive assets that remain beyond the reach of U.S. and Israeli strikes. Akhlaghi told parliament that he has consulted with senior commanders, including IRGC commander‑in‑chief Brigadier General Ahmad Vahidi, to better understand their needs during and after the conflict.
He outlined several priorities for his tenure: accelerating the development of the military‑industrial base, strengthening air‑defence systems, integrating emerging technologies through both government and private firms, improving the welfare of armed‑force personnel, and expanding international military cooperation.
In his first public remarks as minister, Akhlaghi mocked the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, who recently warned of using a “mother of all bombs” against Iran’s nuclear and energy facilities. “We have made preparations and continue our work with ease of mind,” he said. “The U.S. president must think of getting his forces out of our region in one piece. If he drops one bomb, he must see how many of his troops he will have to evacuate horizontally.”