Iran's parliament has confirmed Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as defence minister by 237 votes to 15, with no abstentions, The National reports. He replaces Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed in a US-Israeli air strike at the start of the war in February; a caretaker had held the post since. President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Ketabchi on 5 October.
A long-serving defence industry official who has led Iran's Aerospace Industries Organisation and Defence Industries Organisation, he is under US and UN sanctions over alleged links to the ballistic missile programme. He pledged to restructure the ministry and upgrade military capabilities, and warned Washington that Iran would retaliate against any US attack, after CNN reported US strike plans that could involve the so-called "Mother of All Bombs".
Source: The National
