Mehrdad Akhlaghi, new Iranian defense minister
Tehran gets a Defense Minister, eight months after the start of the war Mehrdad Akhlaghi, targeted by UN sanctions, formally became Iran's Defense Minister on Sunday, replacing his predecessor killed in late February by Israeli-American…
Assessment
Iran has a new defense minister eight months into the war, after the previous minister was killed by Israeli-American strikes. Mehrdad Akhlaghi, already under UN sanctions, was confirmed by parliament. The post had been held by an interim general from the Revolutionary Guards. The appointment signals continuity in wartime leadership.