Iran, Saudi Arabia set to hold fifth round of talks on revival of ties

In a television interview, Iraj Masjedi said “good progress” had been made in the previous rounds of Tehran-Riyadh talks, brokered by Iraq, and the fifth round will be held soon, without specifying the date, Iran Front Page reported.

“It seems that both we and the Saudis have the political will to resolve the problems existing between the two sides,” the Iranian envoy said.

“Various issues were reviewed in the four previous rounds of negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. I think the Saudis have studied Iran’s proposals, and it is possible that good decisions will be taken in the fifth round,” Masjedi added.

Iraq has hosted several rounds of direct talks between Iranian and Saudi delegations with the aim of reviving relations severed five years ago over a host of issues.

The negotiations were launched under Iran’s former President Hassan Rouhani, who was replaced in August by Seyyed Ebrahim Raeisi.

Last year, Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud expressed hope that Riyadh's direct dialogue with Tehran would lead to confidence building.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016, since Iranian protesters, angered by the kingdom’s execution of top Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, had attacked Riyadh’s missions in Iran.

Riyadh has since stepped up its belligerent foreign policy toward the Islamic Republic, but the kingdom appears to be ready to change course.

The two Middle East heavyweights have especially been at loggerheads over the war on Yemen.

Both Tehran and Riyadh have expressed optimism that the talks could lead to confidence building.