Key facts
- Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi was approved as Iran's defence minister on Sunday.
- Akhlaqi has decades of experience in Iran's defence industry.
- He pledged to rebuild military-industrial infrastructure and accelerate defence technology.
- Akhlaqi warned of a surprising and extensive response if the US miscalculates.
- He stated that if a single bomb is dropped, US troops would be carried out of the region horizontally.
Iran's parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as defence minister on Sunday, ending months of interim leadership at the ministry. Akhlaqi, a veteran of the defence industry with decades of experience in its aerospace and missile sectors, replaces Majid Ebn al-Reza, who took over in an interim capacity after the previous minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, was killed in February by US-Israeli strikes. Akhlaqi is subject to US and EU sanctions for his work in Iran's defence sector. In his presentation to lawmakers, Akhlaqi pledged to rebuild the country's military-industrial infrastructure, accelerate the development of defence technologies, and expand cooperation with private-sector companies. He also issued a warning to the US, stating that any "miscalculation" would result in a "surprising and extensive" response from Iran. Akhlaqi's comments came in response to a CNN report that the US has developed strike plans, potentially involving the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, against Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites if President Donald Trump orders renewed combat operations.