Regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia held a fifth round of “positive” talks on normalizing bilateral relations last Thursday in Baghdad, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Saeed Khatibzadeh confirmed on Monday.

Iraq’s Foreign Minister, Fouad Hussein, announced on Sunday that Baghdad would host a new round of talks.

“Initial talks were underway between Tehran and Riyadh on sending 40,000 Iranian pilgrims to the haj in Mecca this year,” Khatibzadeh said.