TEHRAN – Iranian envoys have returned to the Saudi-based Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), in the first such diplomatic move since the two countries cut ties in 2016, the foreign ministry announced on January 17.

“The delegation is now in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to start its work at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,” Saeed Khatibzadeh said at his weekly news conference. This “can be a good prelude for the two sides to send delegations to visit their embassies”, he added.

The Iranian delegation have arrived in Jeddah but “haven’t attended any meetings yet”, an OIC official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Tehran’s diplomats are expected to attend a sub-ministerial meeting on January 23, he added.

Shiite-majority Iran and the Sunni kingdom of Saudi Arabia are both members of the pan-Islamic body of 57 member states. The two regional rivals have so far held four rounds of talks in Iraq since April aimed at improving relations.

“We have given our written points of interest to the Saudi delegation at the fourth round of negotiations in Baghdad and we are awaiting the responses,” Khatibzadeh said.

Riyadh and Tehran support rival sides in several conflict zones across the region, including in Syria and Yemen.

In 2016, protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran over Shiite cleric Nimr Al-Nimr execution. Riyadh responded at the time by cutting ties with Tehran, while OIC foreign ministers condemned the violence.

Khatibzadeh reiterated Iran’s position that Tehran is “ready to open its embassy” but that depends on what “practical steps” Saudi Arabia takes.

In December, foreign ministry officials in both countries said the kingdom had granted visas to three Iranian diplomats to the OIC.