Iran suspends negotiations with Saudi Arabia

An aerial view of Baghdad, where talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia were due to resume Wednesday for the fifth time in an attempt to normalize relations between the two countries.

ALI YUSSEF / AFP

Text by: RFI Follow

1 min

Iran has suspended talks with Saudi Arabia, which were due to resume on Wednesday March 16 in Baghdad in a bid to settle issues between the two regional powers whose relations have been broken since 2016.

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With our correspondent in Tehran

,

The announcement was made by the news site Nour News, which is close to the Supreme National Security Council.

On Saturday, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein said Iranian and Saudi negotiators would meet in Baghdad for the fifth time on Wednesday to try to normalize relations between the two countries.

No official reason

Nour News did not give a reason for the decision, but it comes after Saudi Arabia executed on Saturday 81 people convicted of crimes ranging from murder to membership in militant groups.

It is the

the kingdom.

According to Iranian media, half of those executed were Saudi Shiites.

They also included supporters or members of

the Iran-backed Houthi

Relationships broken since 2016

A week ago, however, Iran welcomed the statements of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, seeing in them a " 

 " from Riyadh to

which have been broken since 2016 after the attack on the embassy. Saudi in Tehran.

Shiite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia oppose each other on many issues, including the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

Riyadh is also worried about Iran's nuclear and missile program.

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