Iran’s new Defense Minister, Mehrdad Ahlaghki, has taken office with a direct threat to US President Donald Trump, warning against another American strike and saying Trump would have to deal with casualties in the event of a military confrontation.
Ahlaghki, 68, was appointed following the killing of his predecessor, Aziz Nasirzadeh. He also addressed threats to his own life. “I’ve been on the hit list for 35 years," he declared, making clear that the prospect of becoming an assassination target was nothing new to him.
The new minister comes from a long career in Iran’s military industry, particularly its missile sector. He is among the senior figures associated with developing Iran’s military capabilities and is subject to international sanctions.
His appointment carries particular significance given the fate of his predecessor, Nasirzadeh, who was killed in February. His successor now claims that he, too, has been a target for more than three decades.
Ahlaghki’s threat to Trump is part of a series of forceful messages directed at the US and Israel. He warned that any further attack on Iran would prompt a broad response, signaling that Tehran does not intend to back down in the face of another potential confrontation.
One of Ahlaghki’s most prominent threats concerned the possibility that the US could use the bomb known as the “Mother of All Bombs" against targets in Iran.
Addressing that scenario, the Iranian minister said his country was already prepared. “We have taken the necessary measures to deal with such an action, and we continue our work with confidence," he declared.
He then issued an explicit warning to the US president: “If he drops one bomb, he should check how many of his forces he will have to remove from the region lying down," Ahlaghki said, implying that American troops would be killed and their bodies evacuated.
He claimed that Iran’s preparations were among the reasons Washington had so far refrained from using the bomb.
The threat to Trump was not an isolated statement. In an address to members of the Iranian parliament, Ahlaghki warned that another US and Israeli attack would trigger a forceful Iranian response.
“If the American-Zionist enemy miscalculates again, the response of the Iranian people and the Islamic fighters will be surprising and widespread," he said. He added that the US and its allies would bear responsibility for the regional and international consequences of any further attack.
Alongside his threats, the new minister outlined plans to rebuild and strengthen Iran’s military industry. His goals include expanding defense production, advancing research and development, cooperating with private companies, and adapting the Defense Ministry to current security threats.
Ahlaghki, who previously headed Iran’s Aerospace Industries Organization, is subject to US and European sanctions over his involvement in activities linked to Iran’s missile program. He has also pledged to continue strengthening what Tehran calls the “Axis of Resistance."