US Responds Cautiously to Efforts by Iran, Saudi Arabia to End Tensions

WASHINGTON - The United States has cautiously responded to confirmation that its Middle East rival, Iran, has been holding rare talks with U.S. ally Saudi Arabia on reviving strained relations between the two neighboring regional powers.

In a Tuesday statement sent to VOA Persian, a senior Biden administration official said the U.S. has "seen" the reports of the recent talks between Tehran and Riyadh. Without mentioning the two rivals specifically, the official added: "It is the goal of the United States to de-escalate tensions in the region, and we feel that all parties speaking with each other is a positive step in that effort." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh had confirmed the talks with Riyadh in a Monday news conference,  saying: "De-escalation of tensions between the two Muslim countries in the Persian Gulf region is in the interest of both nations and the region." Khatibzadeh added, "We welcome resolving the issues that have existed between the two countries. ... We will use our best efforts in this regard." Saudi Arabia's first official comment on the talks came May 7, in remarks by Saudi Arabia foreign ministry official Rayed Krimly to the Reuters news agency.  He said the discussions "aim to explore ways to reduce tensions in the region" and expressed hope they will be successful.