Iran, Saudi Arabia to normalise relations 'soon': Iranian official

Iran's ambassador to Iraq has said that talks with Saudi Arabia and Iran will soon be held and relations between the two countries will be normalised, according to the Iranian Labour News Agency.

There was no specific date given for the talks, which will be held in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad, but according to Ambassador Iraj Masjedi, they will be "soon".

Ahead of the planned talks, Iran sent three diplomats to Saudi Arabia, to serve as a delegation to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. 

The visit marked the first time in six years that Iran had taken part in activities with the organisation. 

Diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia broke down in 2016, when protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Iran, following the execution of a Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr, in Saudi Arabia. 

Earlier in January, an Iranian member of parliament said that the two countries were ready to resume diplomatic ties and also reopen embassies. 

Jalil Rahimi Jahanabadi, who served as a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy committee in parliament, said that a resumption of diplomatic relations would help the region ease tensions and boost "unity of the Islamic world".

To date, there have been four rounds of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia, aimed at improving relations, in Baghdad. 

The most recent was held on 21 September, 2021.