The Iranian flag waves in front of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) headquarters in Vienna, Austria, on March 1, 2021. REUTERS / Lisi Niesner
Senior Saudi and Iranian officials held direct talks in an effort to restore relations, four years after severing diplomatic ties, the Financial Times reported Sunday, citing officials briefed on the talks.
The first round of Saudi-Iranian talks took place on April 9 in Baghdad and included discussions on attacks on Saudi Arabia by the Iranian-organized Houthi group of Yemen, the FT report added, citing one of the officials.
The talks were positive, the official told the FT.
The FT also said a senior Saudi official denied there were any talks with Iran. Lebanon’s pro-Iran Al Mayadeen television channel and the news agency Unews both quoted an Iranian source on Sunday denying talks with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment and Iranian officials were not immediately available.
The report comes as Washington and Tehran seek to revive a 2015 nuclear force that Riyadh was opposed to, and while the United States insists on ending the Yemeni conflict, which is seen in the region as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
Riyadh called for a nuclear deal with stronger parameters, saying the Gulf Arab states should join any negotiations on the deal to ensure it addresses Iran’s missile program and its support for regional full-fledged people.
Saudi Arabia and its allies supported former US President Donald Trump in 2018 to end the world powers’ nuclear deal and reintroduce sanctions against Tehran, which responded by violating several restrictions on its nuclear activities.
A Saudi foreign minister told Reuters last week that confidence-building measures could pave the way for extended talks with Arab participation in the Gulf. read more
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