It’s official: Iran and Saudi Arabia are looking to patch things up. Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzade confirmed during a press conference yesterday that the two countries had held direct Iraq-sponsored talks to mend their regional rift after almost five years of silence, Iranian news agency IRNA reports. Khatibzade did not confirm or deny earlier press reports that the two countries had held talks in Baghdad this month, though Saudi officials had earlier denied engaging in negotiations with Iran. The meetings come as Washington distances itself from Saudi Arabia and pressures the kingdom to end its military campaign against Houthi rebels, while pushing for the revival of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement.

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