MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th May, 2021) Tehran and Riyadh have held two rounds of talks to discuss bilateral relations and ways to resolve regional issues, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Tuesday.
"The negotiations were held at the level of special representatives and will continue until any results are achieved. We assess the negotiation process positively... Two rounds of negotiations were held. Both bilateral and regional issues were discussed, but at the moment, until the end of the negotiations, we cannot say more about them in detail," Rabiei said when asked to confirm whether the de-escalation talks were underway between the two regional rivals.
The spokesman noted that Iran has for many years supported and welcomed any format of dialogue with the states of the region, including with Saudi Arabia.
"And now there is hope for the resolution of our disputes," he added.
Rabiei explained that it was time to cease "all existing differences and revive the traditions of 'good-neighborly and fraternal' relations," between the states of the middle East.
Tehran and Riyadh cut diplomatic ties in 2016 when Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran and Mashhad were attacked by violent mobs, seeking revenge for the execution of famous Shiite preacher Nimr Baqir Nimr by the Saudis. Out of solidarity with Riyadh, Bahrain, Sudan, and Djibouti also cut relations with Iran.
