Iran Appoints New Defense Minister, Threatens US and Israel

Iran's parliament approved 68-year-old Brigadier General Mehrdad Akhlaghi Ketabchi as the new Minister of Defense on Sunday, October 18. Ketabchi, who has held senior positions in the country's missile industry for decades, pledged to rebuild military factories damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes, accelerate weapons development, and strengthen the "axis of resistance." President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Ketabchi earlier in October 2026. The previous permanent defense minister, Aziz Nasirsadeh, was killed on February 28, the first day of the war, during initial strikes in Operation "Lion's Roar." Majid ibn al-Reza, the former deputy head of the ministry, had been acting minister since March 2.

Ketabchi is expected to oversee Iran's defense industry, logistics, and supply chain. His program, approved by parliament, includes accelerated development of defense technologies and increased cooperation with private companies. He previously led the Shahid Bagheri industrial group, part of Iran's Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO), a key entity coordinating ballistic missile development and production. Ketabchi was sanctioned by the UN Security Council in March 2007 and by the U.S. Treasury Department a year later for his role in the missile program. He also faces European sanctions and headed the entire AIO from November 2014.

Following his appointment, Ketabchi issued threats against Israel and the U.S., stating he has been on the "enemy's list for elimination for 35 years." He warned of a "unexpected and massive" response if the "American-Israeli enemy makes another mistake." He vowed to strengthen the "axis of resistance" and adapt the defense ministry to "current circumstances and daily threats." Ketabchi also addressed the potential U.S. use of the "mother of all bombs," advising President Trump to consider how to extract U.S. personnel safely from the region, and warned that Iran has moved its military facilities into fortified mountain locations.

Ketabchi also promised the launch of an all-Iranian heavy fighter jet within the next year. On the same day, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Tehran's proposal to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz within seven days, a proposal reportedly rejected by Trump in September. Araghchi stated that if the U.S. shows sincerity, the strait would reopen and negotiations would resume under specific conditions, including the lifting of U.S. blockades and sanctions on Iran, and an end to hostilities against Hezbollah. Iran has intensified attacks on oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz amid stalled negotiations and worsening economic conditions, while U.S. blockades of Iranian ports continue.