New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is likely to represent India at the swearing-in ceremony of newly elected Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in Tehran on August 5, people familiar with the development said on Monday.
Raisi, a hardliner and known to be close to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, won the presidential election in June by a landslide. India has already accepted an invitation by Iran for the event, which is likely to be attended by leaders and representatives of a number of countries.
Last month, the external affairs minister called on President-elect Raisi during a stopover at the Iranian capital on his way to Russia. Jaishankar also held extensive talks with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif in Tehran covering a range of key issues including the fast-evolving situation in Afghanistan.
His visit to Iran coincided with Iran's hosting of an intra-Afghan dialogue in the country.
"External Affairs Minister Jaishankar is scheduled to pay a brief visit to Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Raisi," said one of the persons cited above.