Shea Levin — text status

Iran’s parliament has approved Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as its new defense minister, replacing the interim minister appointed after his predecessor was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes in February. Akhlaqi pledged to rebuild Iran’s military industries and warned that any renewed U.S. attack would trigger a “surprising and extensive” response, claiming Iran has prepared countermeasures against the American “Mother of All Bombs.”