Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan held talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Riyadh during the latter's visit to Saudi Arabia, his first since the two Middle East rivals announced a surprise rapprochement in March.

"While accepting the [Saudi] invitation, Ayatollah [President Ebrahim] Raisi will travel to Saudi Arabia at the right time," said Iran's top diplomat during a joint presser.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian also took the opportunity to reiterate the Islamic republic's support for the Palestinian cause at a time when Riyadh is in discussions with the United States about potentially normalising ties with Israel.

Ties between Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shiite-majority Iran "are progressing in the right direction," Amir-Abdollahian told reporters at a press conference with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan, touting economic and security cooperation without announcing any new agreements.

Thursday's meeting in the Saudi foreign ministry's Islamic Solidarity Hall "will be a prelude to the meeting of the heads of the two countries", he said, without specifying when President Ebrahim Raisi would visit Saudi Arabia at King Salman's invitation.

"We are sure that these meetings and cooperation will help the unity of the Islamic world," he added, proposing a "regional dialogue" but providing no details.

The foreign ministers did not take questions.