"Hope he stays alive": Iran appoints a replacement for the eliminated defense minister

Iran's parliament approved the appointment of Mehrdad Ahlaki as the new defense minister on Sunday, state media reported. The appointment comes months after the previous minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, was eliminated in Israeli and US strikes in February. President Masoud Pezeshkian claimed Ahlaki is on an American assassination list and expressed hope he survives his term. Ahlaki previously headed Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization and is under international sanctions.

Iran's parliament approved the appointment of Mehrdad Ahlaki as the new defense minister on Sunday, according to state media reports. The appointment ends a prolonged period during which the defense ministry was run by an acting minister, following the elimination of the previous minister, Aziz Nasirzadeh, in Israeli and US strikes last February. During the parliamentary debate, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the danger he said the new minister faces. The president claimed that Ahlaki is on an American assassination list and expressed hope that he would survive his term. The new defense minister previously headed Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization and is considered a senior figure in the country's defense industry, particularly in areas related to missile systems development. Ahlaki is under international sanctions for his activities in Iran's security apparatus. His appointment ends a lengthy period during which the Iranian defense ministry operated without a permanent minister, against the backdrop of Tehran's efforts to rebuild its military capabilities following the strikes it suffered.