▲ Mehrdad Ahlaghi Ketabchi
Mehrdad Ahlaghi Ketabchi has been appointed as Iran's new defense minister, Iran's state-run IRNA news agency reported on the 18th (local time).
The Iranian parliament (Majlis) passed the confirmation motion for defense ministerial nominee Ketabchi, submitted by President Masoud Pezeshkian, on the same day.
Ketabchi is a defense industry expert who has served in management positions at the state-owned defense enterprise Shahid Bagheri Industrial Group (SBIG) and the Aerospace Industries Organization (AIO) under the Iranian Ministry of Defense.
Speaking with reporters at the parliament, Ketabchi stated, "The terrorist U.S. president must think about how he can safely withdraw his troops from the region (Middle East)," according to SNN news agency.
Targeting the United States, Ketabchi also warned, "If even a single bomb is dropped toward Iran, U.S. soldiers will leave this region lying down."
(Photo: Provided by Mehr News Agency, Yonhap News)
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