Iran to hold online vote on defense minister

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran's parliament will hold an electronic confidence vote on Mehrdad Akhlaqi, the nominee for minister of defense and armed forces logistics, on October 18, parliament presidium member Ahmad Naderi announced on Saturday.

According to the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), Naderi attributed the decision to the country's “exceptional circumstances,” explaining that amendments to parliamentary regulations allow the confidence vote to be held virtually, without paper ballots. Lawmakers are also reviewing Akhlaqi's qualifications through both in-person and virtual committee meetings.

President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Akhlaqi last week, roughly seven months after former Defense Minister Brigadier General Aziz Nasirzadeh was killed in a joint US-Israeli attack. Akhlaqi has worked in Iran's aviation and aerospace industries and is subject to US and European sanctions.