A Saudi foreign ministry official said on Friday that talks between Riyadh and Tehran aim to reduce regional tensions, but added it was too early to judge the outcome.
The comments by Ambassador Rayed Krimly, head of policy planning at the ministry, to Reuters were the first public confirmation from Riyadh that the two rivals were holding direct talks.
Saudi Arabia and Iran severed ties in 2016.
“As to current Saudi-Iranian talks they aim to explore ways to reduce tensions in the region,” Krimly said.
“We hope they prove successful, but it is too early, and premature, to reach any definitive conclusions. Our evaluation will be based on verifiable deeds, and not proclamations.”
He declined to provide details on the talks, but regional officials and sources had told Reuters that the discussions were focused on Yemen and the 2015 nuclear deal between global powers and Iran, which Riyadh had opposed.
