Iraqi president confirms Baghdad hosted Saudi-Iranian talks 'more than once'

President Barham Salih said the first round of talks occurred in early April, which he described as 'important and significant.'
Saudi and Iranian flags
Iraq has been mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Baghdad. Here, a Saudi flag (L) flies at the new Saudi Consulate headquarters in the high security "Green Zone" in the center of Baghdad on April 4, 2019, while the Iranian flag (R) hangs outside the Iranian Embassy in central London on Feb. 20, 2014. - CARL COURT/AFP via Getty Images
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Al-Monitor Staff

Iraqi President Barham Salih confirmed Wednesday that Baghdad has hosted more than one round of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in what marks the first official acknowledgment of Iraqi mediation in the regional dispute. 

Reuters reported that Salih revealed the Saudi-Iran talks during a live interview with the Beirut Institute think tank, saying the discussions first took place early last month and have occurred “more than once.” He didn’t comment further on the nature of the talks, adding only that they were “important and significant.”

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