A decisive parliamentary vote elevates missile-industry engineer Mehrdad Akhlaghi to the defense ministry as Tehran vows to strengthen domestic capabilities and confront any renewed attack.

TEHRAN -- Iran's parliament on Sunday approved veteran missile-industry engineer Mehrdad Akhlaghi as Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics, voting 237 in favor and 15 against, with no abstentions out of 277 votes cast, in a decisive endorsement that lawmakers and military commanders cast as a mandate to rebuild and modernize the country's defenses after a devastating war.

The confirmation, held during a Sunday session chaired by Speaker Muhammad Bagher Ghalibaf, followed review of Akhlaghi's qualifications and plans by the parliamentary committees on national security and foreign policy, and on industry and mining.

President Masoud Pezeshkian, who nominated Akhlaghi on October 5, addressed lawmakers in support of the nominee before the vote, while opposing and supporting lawmakers presented their views and Akhlaghi defended his proposed program.

Akhlaghi succeeds Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was martyred in U.S.-Israeli attacks on Tehran at the beginning of a 40-day aggression, after which Pezeshkian appointed Brigadier General Majid Ebn-e-Reza as acting defense minister.

Last week Akhlaghi held two meetings with lawmakers and met commanders of the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps to hear their priorities.

"If the American-Zionist enemy once again makes a miscalculation, the response of the Iranian nation and the fighters of Islam will be surprising and extensive," Akhlaghi told parliament before the vote.

He warned that Washington and its allies would bear responsibility for the regional and international consequences of any renewed aggression.

Following his approval, Akhlaghi said the enemy faces a strategic deadlock because "changes are underway in the nature of threats, the logic of military power, the technological environment and the regional order."

He added: "Since the 12-day war, our defense capabilities have been upgraded and modernized in ways that have changed the enemy's assessments and calculations."

Iran's defensive strength, he said, depended not only on operational capabilities but on its understanding of the strategic environment.

In his remarks to parliament, Pezeshkian said Akhlaghi's qualifications "are beyond question," pointing to his collaboration with prominent figures across the defense industry, including martyred IRGC commanders Brigadiers General Hassan Tehrani-Moqaddam and Amir-Ali Hajizadeh.

That collaboration, the president said, "demonstrates his efforts and commitment to serving the Islamic Revolution," describing his experience as an asset at a time when the Islamic Republic needs specialized expertise to bolster its defensive might.

He cited Akhlaghi's long presence on enemies' sanctions lists as proof of his contribution to the country's defense industry.

Reiterating Iran's commitment to territorial defense, Pezeshkian said: "We have not attacked any country, nor do we intend to invade any territory. However, in the face of any aggression, we will stand firm with strength and courage, even at the cost of our lives."

He added: "We will not, under any circumstances, yield to the excessive demands and bullying of aggressor countries. On the contrary, through solidarity, perseverance, and resistance, we will continue along our path to the very end."

The president stressed that Iran's defenses extended beyond military hardware, identifying national solidarity and public support as essential. If unity and cohesion "continues, no power will be able to bring us to our knees," he said.

In a message on X after the vote of confidence, Pezeshkian wrote, "The decisive vote of parliamentarians today for 'Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi' as Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics was the announcement of a resounding and compelling message to the world. The parliament's cooperation with the government conveyed to everyone a message of unity, empathy, and decisive support for the armed forces."

Army Commander Major General Amir Hatami, in a message congratulating Akhlaghi, called for closer coordination with the defense ministry, saying recent wars and multilateral sanctions had shown that Iran's defense strength increasingly depended on domestic capabilities, innovation, self-confidence, and scientific expertise.

He described closer coordination with the ministry as a strategic necessity and said the army was ready to contribute its human, operational, scientific and technological resources to developing domestically produced equipment.

IRGC Commander Major General Ahmad Vahidi said the "strong vote of confidence" reflected the legislature's and the public's trust in Akhlaghi's commitment, capabilities and experience "at a critical time for the country."

Stressing the importance of continuing Nasirzadeh's work, Vahidi said: "The IRGC is ready, within the framework of its missions, to expand strategic coordination and synergy with the defense ministry, particularly in successfully countering the enemy's hybrid threats."

Analysts said the lopsided 237-vote margin is as a signal to foreign adversaries, where the choice of a missile-industry engineer rather than a conventional field commander tells you where the ministry's priorities lie — deterrence through indigenous production and survivability under sanctions.