Iran's parliament approved Mehrdad Akhlaghi as defence minister on Sunday, according to state television, filling a post left vacant when his predecessor was killed on the first day of the war.
State television said members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, known as the Majlis, "today gave vote of confidence to Mehrdad Akhlaghi, the nominee for minister of defense and armed forces logistics", as carried by Asharq Al-Awsat.
The full title of the post is minister of defence and armed forces logistics. The vote came nearly eight months after the first US-Israeli strikes on Iran, which the Times of Israel dated to February.
Mr Akhlaghi replaces Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed on the first day of the war with the US, according to the Times of Israel and Asharq Al-Awsat. Iran's state media did not appear in that account, and no further detail on the circumstances was given in the reports reviewed.
The opposition outlet Iran International said Mr Nasirzadeh was killed in a US-Israeli strike in Tehran. It said the post had been held on an acting basis since then.
Shafaq News, citing the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), also said Mr Nasirzadeh was killed in a US-Israeli strike.
Iran International reported that the Industries and Mines Committee of parliament backed Mr Akhlaghi's plans on Sunday, citing the committee's spokesperson.
Shafaq News, citing ISNA, said the vote would be held electronically. It said Ahmad Naderi, a member of the parliament's presidium, announced the arrangement on Saturday.
Mr Naderi attributed the decision to "exceptional circumstances", according to the report. He said amended parliamentary rules allow a virtual vote with no paper ballots.
President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Mr Akhlaghi earlier in October. Iran International said the nomination came earlier this month, while Shafaq News said it came last week.
The Sunday Guardian, a live-blog site, gave the date as 5 October and cited Article 133 of the constitution. That date was reported by only one outlet.
Reports differed on Mr Akhlaghi's background. Iran International described him as a longtime Defence Ministry official with decades of experience in the military-industrial sector.
Shafaq News said he has worked in Iran's aviation and aerospace industries and is subject to US and European sanctions.
The Sunday Guardian said he previously headed the Aerospace Industries Organization and is linked to the space and ballistic missile programmes. Other outlets did not report this.
The spelling of his name varies between outlets. Most use Akhlaghi, while Tasnim and Shafaq News use Akhlaqi, and the Sunday Guardian uses Akhlaghi Ketabchi.
No comment from Mr Akhlaghi or Mr Pezeshkian had been reported. No reaction from the United States or Israel had been reported either.
Under Iran's system, ministers need a vote of confidence in parliament after the president nominates them. The Defence Ministry oversees the country's military-industrial sector.
The US and Israel launched strikes on Iran in February 2026, which began the conflict. Iran International calls it the "40-day war".
Iran International's live coverage said Israel had left open the possibility of renewed strikes on Iran. It said Iranian military figures had stated that any new attack would meet a response.
Mr Akhlaghi is expected to be sworn in and take up the post. No date for this had been confirmed, and no details of his priorities had been reported.
