Mehrdad Ehlaki appointed Iran's defense minister
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has officially appointed Mehrdad Ehlaki Ketabchi as the country's defense minister — nearly eight months after the death of the ministry's previous head, Aziz Nasirzadeh.
According to Iranian media, Iran's parliament approved Ehlaki's candidacy for the post of defense minister.
"The president of Iran... taking into account the results of the vote of confidence by Iran's parliament, has by decree appointed Mehrdad Ehlaki Ketabchi as defense minister," says a release published by Pezeshkian's office.
Since March 2, the duties of the head of Iran's defense ministry had been performed by Majid ibn al-Reza.
On February 28, the United States and Israel struck facilities on Iranian territory, including in Tehran. Iran carried out retaliatory strikes on Israeli territory, as well as on American military facilities in the Middle East region.
On the very first day of the attack, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. During the conflict, Iran's military and political leadership was killed, in particular the chief of the general staff of Iran's armed forces Abdolrahim Mousavi, IRGC commander Mohammad Pakpour, Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh, Secretary of the Defense Council Ali Shamkhani, as well as the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Larijani.
