WORLD BIG NEWS: Tehran, Riyadh resume talks

A senior Iraqi official says key talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have been stalled since last month, have resumed.   The talks ar...

A senior Iraqi official says key talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have been stalled since last month, have resumed.

 

The talks are aimed at restoring relations between the two countries - file photo: AFP / Reuters

Without elaborating, the official said talks had resumed in Baghdad on Thursday, according to a report in the Dawn newspaper.

 

The Iranian news agency MAK NEWS-21, confirmed that "senior officials from Iran's Supreme National Security Council have met with the head of the Saudi intelligence agency."

 

Iran and Saudi Arabia support rival factions in several disputed areas in the region, including Yemen, where Houthi rebels have Tehran support and Riyadh leads a pro-government military coalition.

 

Also read: Saudi Crown Prince optimistic over 'nuclear deal' with Iran

In 2016, Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran after Saudi Arabia executed prominent cleric Nimr al-Nimr, prompting Riyadh to sever ties with Tehran.

The talks in Iraq are the fifth in a series of meetings between Tehran and Riyadh last year, aimed at restoring ties between the two countries.

"It is expected that a joint meeting between the foreign ministers of the two countries will be held in the near future," ------ reported.

"The positive atmosphere of the recent meeting has raised hopes for the resumption of bilateral relations," he said.

In March, Iranian media reported that Saudi Arabia had announced that it had executed a record 81 people in just one day for various crimes related to "terrorism", including the Houthi rebels. Iran later suspended its participation in the talks.

Read also: Talks are underway with Iran to reduce tensions, Saudi officials

However, in early March, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, "Iran and Saudi Arabia are neighbors. It is better for both countries to work on it and find ways in which we can live together." ۔

His remarks were welcomed by Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdullahian.

Amir Abdullahian had said that "our views and perspectives on some issues in the region are different but compromising on differences between the parties can serve the interests of both the countries".

The Revolutionary Guards attacked the commander

Foreign news agency Reuters quoted Iranian state media as saying that gunmen in southeastern Iran opened fire on a car carrying a senior Revolutionary Guards commander, killing one of his bodyguards.

The state-run IRNA news agency reported that Brigadier General Hussein al-Masi, commander of the Revolutionary Guards, survived the attack in Sistan-Baluchistan province, while the attackers were arrested.

Erna added that Mahmoud Abu Salam, a security guard killed in an attack near a checkpoint in the provincial capital Zahedan, was the son of a senior commander in the region.