Iraq has hosted talks between Saudi Arabia, Iran, president says

Iraqi President Barham Salih revealed on Wednesday that the country has hosted more than one round of talks between rival countries Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Sahil did not communicate any further details surrounding the talks, according to Reuters.

When asked how many rounds of talks Iraq has hosted for Iran and Saudi Arabia, Salih responded “more than once,” Reuters reported.

Sahil made this disclosure during an interview with the Beirut Institute think tank, which was broadcasted live online, according to the wire service.

Officials from Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Baghdad on April 9, in what has been characterized as a diplomatic breakthrough that diplomats hope will possibly help ease tensions in the region at a time when the U.S. is indirectly negotiating in Vienna to potentially reenter a nuclear deal with Iran, Reuters reported.

That meeting, however, was the only Saudi-Iranian round of talks that was previously reported, according to Reuters.

Former President Trump announced in May 2018 that he planned to withdraw the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal.

Months later he revealed that the U.S. would reimpose sanctions on Iran, which, according to Reuters, sent tensions soaring throughout the Middle East.

The sanctions Trump reimposed were previously lifted as part of the nuclear deal, which was put into place under former President Obama in 2015.

In January 2020, top Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani was killed in a U.S. drone strike in Baghdad, causing tensions between the U.S. and Iran to further grow.