Senior Diplomat Rudra Gaurav Shresth Appointed Ambassador To Iran

Shresth also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Thimpu, Bhutan. Additionally, he has held the position of the country's High Commissioner to Mozambique.

New Delhi: Senior diplomat Rudra Gaurav Shresth was on Thursday appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Islamic Republic of Iran and is expected to take up the assignment shortly, said an MEA statement. Shresth also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Thimpu, Bhutan. Additionally, he has held the position of the country's High Commissioner to Mozambique.

Rudra Gaurav Shresth is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1999 batch. He also served as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). Prior to this, he had served as the High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Mozambique and Director of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

In Nov 2022, Rudra Gaurav Shresth was given another two months to serve as the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), according to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). 

India–Iran Relations

Despite India's opposition to the 1979 Iranian Revolution, many areas of their relationship are friendly. In particular, crude oil imports into India and diesel exports to Iran are examples of significant trade ties.

On March 17, Iran said India is not like Taiwan or South Korea but a “rising” power that can “resist” pressure from the West even as Tehran pushes New Delhi to resume oil purchases that were stalled in 2019.

Addressing the media, the Ambassador of Iran to India, Iraj Elahi, also said their President Ebrahim Raisi is expected to visit India for the upcoming leaders’ meeting of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). India is the current SCO chair and the summit is likely to be held in May this year.

“India is not Taiwan, not South Korea. It is not this or that country. India is a growing and rising power. India has a powerful economy. India could easily resist pressure from the West,” the envoy said on the possibility of resumption of oil purchases from that country by India.

Under pressure from the US-led sanctions laid down by the former Donald Trump administration, India stopped buying oil from Iran in an unprecedented move from May 2019 onwards.

“We are ready to export (oil) to India. But it is up to India. India is getting benefit from the situation in Russia, no one can blame India. India is following its national interest and Iran followed its own national interest,” Elahi said.

“We have learnt how to deal with sanctions, from oil export to money transfer. Sanction is not an obstacle. Our market is open to all buyers. We can sell oil to any country who wants to buy … We believe when India feels it's in its interest, it will restart,” he added.

“All I want to say is that the number of countries under sanctions is increasing day by day. All countries should learn how to live under sanctions otherwise they will lose their interests,” said Elahi, adding that despite being under economic sanctions from the US for decades, Iran continued to sell oil and petrochemical products to those countries who were willing to buy.