Talks between Gulf states and Iran aimed at repairing relations after the recent conflict are not expected to take place any time soon, two Gulf diplomats have told The National, the latter reports.

“Gulf states have shown good faith in pursuing peace and continue to rely on diplomacy to resolve the conflict,” said one diplomat. Rebuilding trust with Iran remains a key challenge, the diplomat added.

Reports emerged on Wednesday that Saudi Arabia is expected to host Gulf-Iran reconciliation talks in Riyadh, although no date was specified. However, Gulf diplomats, speaking to The National on condition of anonymity, said such discussions remain premature.

As the newspaper noted, many Gulf countries are wary of Tehran despite the framework agreement reached between the US and Iran. Several officials have publicly stressed that confidence must be restored after the Islamic Republic launched missile strikes.

Following a joint ministerial meeting of the US and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Bahrain on Thursday, GCC Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Al Budaiwi said that any future agreement with Iran must take into account the demands of the Arab monarchies to ensure their security. In turn, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured his colleagues that the interests of the countries of the region would be taken into account when making any decisions during the negotiation process.