Baghdad, Feb 7 (IANS) Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein has held a phone talk with Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud to discuss delays of the talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia in Baghdad.

During the phone call, the two ministers discussed issues related to the security and stability of the region and the reasons for the delay in holding the fifth round of Saudi-Iranian talks, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry on Sunday said in a statement.

"Iraqi government will make every effort and invest all its relations to create an appropriate opportunity for the understanding between Tehran and Riyadh," Hussein was quoted as saying by the statement.

In a phone call with the Iraqi Minister on Saturday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi praised Iraq's efforts to bring closer views and enhance the region's security and stability, referring to Baghdad's sponsorship of the negotiations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran in January 2016 after protests were held outside its embassy in the Iranian capital in reaction to the kingdom's execution of a senior Shiite cleric, Xinhua news agency reported.

However, Iranian-Saudi ties, seen as essential to the developments in the Gulf, have shown signs of detente since direct talks between the two sides resumed in April 2021 after a long pause.

Iraq, acting as the mediator, has hosted rounds of talks between the delegations of the two regional powers.