Saudi and Iranian officials plan further direct talks this month, unnamed sources told Reuters, with the aim of easing tensions between the Middle East arch-rivals in a significant move for regional stability.
“Neither Riyadh nor Tehran, who cut diplomatic ties in 2016, have publicly confirmed or denied a first meeting in Iraq earlier this month though Iran’s envoy to Baghdad has welcomed Iraqi mediation to mend ties with Gulf states,” Reuters said.
Saudi Arabia’s cabinet this week publicly encouraged Iran to engage in talks with the Kingdom, but did not say any talks were currently underway or planned.
The report in the Financial Times noting the first meeting between officials was denied by an unnamed source in comments to the local English daily news site Arab News.
The April 9 meeting in Iraq did not lead to any breakthrough, the Iranian official and one of the regional sources familiar with the matter told the FT.
But Reuters quoted a source as saying the meeting was “very constructive.”
“The April meeting was a very constructive meeting during which many issues, mainly the Yemen crisis, and Iran’s nuclear deal were discussed,” said an official in the Middle East to Reuters.
The official and two regional sources quoted by Reuters “said further talks could happen before the end of the month but the timing depended on progress in Vienna negotiations. A foreign diplomat in Riyadh said a second meeting is expected in late April or early May.”
