Monday, Iran implicitly confirmed through its Foreign Ministry spokesperson that it is holding talks with Saudi Arabia, but said it is still "too early" to talk about the results of the talks with their regional rival. 

In April, it was reported that Iranian and Saudi officials met in Baghdad, in direct contact, which is the most prominent between the two countries since Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran in early 2016.

Since then, several sources confirmed that these talks had taken place, but it was the first time that the Islamic Republic confirmed that there had been contact between the two sides.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said in a press conference, in response to a question regarding meetings with Saudi Arabia, "The aim of the discussions was bilateral and regional. Of course, we have always welcomed such discussions at any level and in any form, and this is not a new policy for us."

He continued, "But let us wait and see the results of these discussions and judge based on these results," considering that "it is still too early to talk about the details of these negotiations and talks."

The British Financial Times newspaper reported in April that the two regional rivals held talks in Baghdad, information later confirmed by Iraqi diplomatic and government sources.

At the end of last month, Tehran welcomed the change in the rhetoric of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, following press statements in which he expressed his hope to forge "distinguished" relations with Iran.

These statements contradict previous positions made by the Saudi prince, which included harsh criticism of the Islamic Republic.

The two countries are the two most prominent regional powers in the Gulf, and they are on opposite sides in most of the regional cases, the most prominent of which is the conflict in Yemen, where Riyadh leads a military alliance in support of the internationally recognized government, and accuses Tehran of supporting the Houthi rebels who control large areas in the north of the country, most notably Sanaa.

Riyadh cut its relations with Tehran in January 2016, following an attack on its embassy in the Iranian capital and its consulate in Mashhad (northeast), carried out by protesters against the kingdom’s execution of the Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Likewise, Saudi Arabia expresses concern about Iran's regional influence and accuses it of "interfering" in the affairs of Arab countries such as Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, and is apprehensive about Iran's nuclear program and its missile capabilities.

Khatibzadeh said Monday that "reducing tension and (establishing) ties between two major Muslim countries in the Persian Gulf region is in the interest of the two nations."

"We hope, through this change in the (political) atmosphere that we are witnessing, that we will be able to reach an understanding... on bilateral relations and regional developments. "