Iranian Lawmakers Approve Mehrdad Ahlaki Kitapçi as Defense Minister
Kitapçi won 237 votes in parliament, succeeding Aziz Nasırzade after the previous defense minister was reported killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes.
Key takeaways
- Mehrdad Ahlaki Kitapçi won 237 votes in parliament to become Iran’s defense minister.
- Kitapçi previously held senior roles in Iran’s defense industry and missile program.
Iran’s parliament approved Mehrdad Ahlaki Kitapçi as defense minister, with 237 lawmakers voting in favor and 15 against. The vote was reported by Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
Kitapçi succeeds Aziz Nasırzade, whom Iranian media reported killed in U.S. and Israeli strikes on March 1.
Kitapçi previously led the Shahid Bakri Industrial Group and the Aerospace Industries Organization. He was involved in Iran’s missile program from the second half of the 2000s, and his name appeared in documents related to international sanctions targeting the program.
This article was produced with the help of AI technology. Based on reporting by the outlets listed above.
