Event Brief
Oct 18, 2026 at 6:05 AM ET
Iranian parliament approves Mehrdad Akhlachi as defense minister
By The BriefBrief
Iran's parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlachi Ketabchi as defense minister on Sunday, with 237 votes in favor out of 277 cast. He replaces interim minister Majid Ebn al-Reza, who took over after former minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February. Akhlachi pledged to rebuild military-industrial infrastructure and expand defense technology development.
WHO: Iran's parliament
WHAT: Approved Mehrdad Akhlachi Ketabchi as defense minister.
WHEN: Oct 18, 2026
WHERE: Iran
WHY: The appointment ended months of interim leadership at the defense ministry.
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