Who is Mehrdad Akhlaghi, Iran’s new tech-focused defence minister?

Iran’s parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi, 68, as defence and armed forces logistics minister on Sunday, with 237 votes in favour and 15 against. He succeeds Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed alongside several senior officials at the start of the US-Israel war on Iran; Majid Ebn-e Reza will serve as Akhlaghi’s deputy. Akhlaghi is tasked with rebuilding and expanding Iran’s military-industrial infrastructure, which has been heavily targeted by the United States and Israel. He has more than 42 years of experience in the Defence Ministry and related organisations, specialising in ballistic missiles, solid-fuel propulsion, aerospace technology and military production.