Iran’s parliament has approved Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as the country’s new defense minister, placing an experienced figure from the nation’s military-industrial sector in charge as tensions with the United States and Israel remain high. Tehran is seeking to strengthen its domestic defense capabilities and prepare for the possibility of another regional confrontation.

Ketabchi succeeds Majid Ebn al-Reza, who had served on an interim basis after former Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February. His appointment received broad parliamentary backing. He has pledged to restore and strengthen Iran’s defense industry following damage to its military infrastructure.

Decades of experience in Iran’s defense sector

Born in 1958, Ketabchi reportedly studied chemical engineering at Amirkabir University of Technology before completing a master’s degree in strategic management at Malek Ashtar University of Technology, an institution associated with Iran’s Defense Ministry.

His career in the defense sector began in the early 1980s, according to Iranian state-linked reporting. Over more than four decades, he held technical, management and industrial leadership positions, including senior roles at major organizations involved in Iran’s missile and aerospace industries.

Iranian state media has identified his previous positions as including leadership of the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group and the Aerospace Industries Organization. He subsequently headed the Defense Industries Organization, further expanding his involvement in the country’s military manufacturing network.

Reports also connect Ketabchi to Iran’s solid-fuel missile development and its Fateh-110 program. His reported association with Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, a prominent figure in the development of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ missile capabilities, underscores his longstanding ties to the program.

UN and US sanctions linked to missile activities

Ketabchi has previously faced international sanctions over his alleged involvement in Iran’s ballistic missile program. In 2007, the United Nations identified him in connection with nuclear or ballistic missile-related activities, listing him as a senior figure at the Shahid Bakeri Industrial Group.

The United States Treasury Department also imposed sanctions on him in 2008. His reported role in obtaining equipment for Iran’s missile program has added to his profile as a longtime participant in the country’s weapons-development efforts.

His appointment could give Tehran a defense minister with substantial experience in the industrial infrastructure needed to restore missile production. The extent to which Iran can rebuild those capabilities, however, remains uncertain.

Iran’s missile rebuilding efforts raise regional concerns

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in March that Iran had lost its ability to enrich uranium and manufacture ballistic missiles. Subsequent reporting has pointed to Iranian efforts to restore parts of its missile program and repair launch equipment.

Ketabchi’s elevation comes as regional governments monitor Iran’s ability to recover from military strikes and reconstitute its defense manufacturing capacity. His background in missile production and defense management could prove significant as Tehran works to rebuild its military infrastructure and prepare for potential future hostilities.

The appointment therefore represents more than a change in personnel: it places a veteran of Iran’s defense industry at the center of the country’s efforts to restore its military capabilities during a period of heightened regional uncertainty.