New Delhi, Aug. 3 -- Vishwesh Negi has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Islamic Republic of Iran, according to an official statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

Negi, a 2002-batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), is currently serving as a Joint Secretary within the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.

According to the MEA, the ambassador-designate is expected to assume his new diplomatic assignment shortly in Tehran, taking charge at a crucial period for India-Iran strategic and trade relations.

The development comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in West Asia, with India reiterating its concern over the security of commercial shipping routes and the safety of se...