Appearing before Parliament on Monday, Akhlaqi said he would assume the responsibility with full commitment if approved by Parliament.
He identified restructuring the Ministry of Defense and rebuilding its industrial and production infrastructure in compliance with passive defense principles as priorities in his 16-point plan.
Akhlaqi said the ministry aims to develop the capacity to produce new products and adopt new technologies within a maximum of six months.
He added that innovation in defense systems, improved productivity, and the development of defense diplomacy and international defense law were among his other plans.
Referring to Iran’s 47 years under sanctions, the defense minister nominee said the country had continued producing equipment and providing missile support despite the restrictions.
He stressed that supplying the Armed Forces with the equipment needed to counter adversaries would continue, while threats would be monitored continuously to ensure the country’s defense capabilities are updated accordingly.
President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Akhlaqi to serve as the country’s Minister of Defense, submitting his name to Parliament for a vote of confidence earlier this week. The relevant parliamentary commission will review the nominee’s plans before lawmakers give a confidence vote on Akhlaqi’s candidature in a parliament session, which is scheduled for October 18.
Akhlaqi is a senior official at Iran’s Ministry of Defense and has previously served as head of the Aerospace Industries Organization, among other positions.
The nomination follows the martyrdom of Major General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the former minister of defense, who was assassinated in the US-Israeli attacks on Tehran. Brigadier General Majid Ibn al-Reza was then appointed as the caretaker defense minister.
