The spokesman for the Parliament’s presiding board told Tasnim on Wednesday that following the receipt of the president’s letter nominating Akhlaqi as Minister of Defense, his nomination will immediately be referred to the relevant parliamentary committees.
Abbas Goudarzi said the parliamentary session to review Akhlaqi’s credentials and hold a confidence vote is likely to take place on Sunday, October 18.
Referring to planned meetings between the nominee and lawmakers, he said two online sessions have been scheduled for next week, during which Akhlaqi will speak with lawmakers and answer their questions.
President Masoud Pezeshkian nominated Akhlaqi as defense minister in a letter to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on Tuesday.
Akhlaqi is a senior official at the Ministry of Defense and has previously headed the Aerospace Industries Organization.
His nomination followed the martyrdom of Major General Aziz Nasirzadeh, the former defense minister, in US-Israeli attacks on Tehran at the start of the 40-day war of aggression. Following Nasirzadeh’s martyrdom, Pezeshkian appointed Brigadier General Majid Ebn al-Reza as caretaker defense minister.