Tehran [Iran], October 18 : Iran's newly appointed Defence Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi has warned US President Donald Trump against launching further attacks on Iran, asserting that Tehran has taken all necessary measures to counter the “Mother of All Bombs” and is confident in its military preparedness.
“We have taken all necessary measures to counter the ‘Mother of All Bombs’ and are confident in our preparations. We are carrying out our duties with complete confidence,” Akhlaghi said, as reported by Press TV.
Warning Trump against further escalation, he said, “Trump should focus on getting his forces out of the region safely. If he drops a bomb, he should consider how many of his troops might have to be carried out in body bags. If he follows through on his threats, he will have to face the consequences.”
Akhlaghi's remarks came after Iran's Parliament approved his appointment as Minister of Defence and Armed Forces Logistics on Sunday, with 237 lawmakers voting in favour and 15 against his nomination, out of 277 votes cast.
President Masoud Pezeshkian had nominated Akhlaghi for the position on October 5. Before the vote, lawmakers reviewed his proposed plans, while parliamentary committees on national security and foreign policy, as well as industry and mining, presented their assessments.
Addressing Parliament ahead of the vote, Akhlaghi warned that Iran would deliver a strong response if its adversaries launched another attack against the country.
“If the American-Zionist enemy once again makes a miscalculation, the response of the Iranian nation and the fighters of Islam will be surprising and extensive,” he said.
Following his confirmation, Akhlaghi said Iran had strengthened and modernised its defence capabilities since the 12-day war, adding that these developments had changed its adversaries' assessments and strategic calculations.
Akhlaghi succeeds Aziz Nasirzadeh, who was killed in US-Israeli attacks on Tehran, following which Pezeshkian appointed Brigadier General Seyyed Majid Ibn al-Reza as acting defence minister.
Meanwhile, Trump said on Saturday that the ongoing war with Iran would end “very quickly”, expressing confidence that the conclusion of hostilities would bring down energy costs for American consumers.
Addressing supporters at a campaign rally in Kentucky, Trump defended previous US strikes against Iranian targets, claiming they had significantly damaged Iran's nuclear capabilities.