Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said during a press conference that Saudi Arabia wants to resume diplomatic talks with Tehran, a day after the Iraqi prime minister tried to revive talks between the two countries, according to Archyde.com.
Iran and Saudi Arabia cut ties in 2016, and both are backing allies in proxy wars across the region, from Yemen to Syria and elsewhere.
On Sunday, Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi visited Saudi Arabia and Iran to stress the importance of “the stability of the region.”
An Iraqi government source told AFP on Saturday that Al-Kazemi would visit Saudi Arabia and Iran as part of mediation to resume relations between the two rival regional powers that were suspended in 2016.
The Iraqi official explained that during the two official visits, “very important topics related to Iraqi mediation aimed at reviving diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran will be discussed.”
Al-Kazemi said during a press conference with Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi, “During the meeting, it was emphasized that support for the truce in Yemen, and the strengthening of efforts to establish peace in it, as well as the assertion that the peaceful solution to the crisis stems from the internal will of the Yemenis and support for dialogue to end this war, which affected everyone.” According to the Iraqi News Agency.
“We discussed the challenges the region is going through, and we agreed to work together to participate in calming the atmosphere in our region,” a statement issued by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office said on Twitter.
For decades, Iran and Saudi Arabia have accused each other of destabilizing the Middle East.
These two countries, neighboring Iraq, differ on regional issues, including the war in Yemen and the nuclear program of Iran, which, despite its denials, is suspected of seeking to acquire atomic weapons.