Iran's foreign minister says Riyadh to grant visas to Iranian diplomats

(Reuters) - In a further sign of a thaw in ruptured ties, Saudi Arabia has agreed to grant visas to three Iranian diplomats to be based in the kingdom, the Iranian foreign minister said on Thursday.

The next round of Saudi-Iranian talks will take place soon in the Iraqi capital Baghdad, Hossein Amirabdollahian said at a joint news conference in Tehran with his Iraqi counterpart, Fuad Hussein.

"Last week, Saudi Arabia agreed to grant visas to three of our diplomats who will start work at the Organization of Islamic Conference in Jeddah,” Amirabdollahian said in comments carried by Iranian media.

There was no immediate comment from the Saudi government.

Iran and Saudi Arabia, which severed diplomatic ties in 2016, started direct talks this year with four rounds held in Iraq. Baghdad hopes its mediation will stop neighbours settling scores on its territory.

The kingdom has described the talks as cordial but exploratory.

(Reporting by Dubai newsroom; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)