Tehran has always advocated a dialogue with Riyadh, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said on Monday.

His remarks came in response to comment on media reports about the country's talks with Saudi Arabia, RIA Novosti reported.

It is important that Iran has always welcomed the dialogue with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, believing that it is in the interests of the peoples of the two countries, as well as peace and security in Europe, he noted.

Earlier, the Financial Times, citing sources, reported that high-ranking officials of Saudi Arabia and Iran are in direct talks to restore diplomatic relations that were severed five years ago. According to the newspaper, the talks, which took place on April 9 in Baghdad with the mediation of Iraqi Prime Minister, are the first significant political discussions between the two countries since 2016.

Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after attacks on its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were carried out, provoked by the execution in Saudi Arabia of the famous Shiite preacher Nimr al-Nimr. Out of solidarity with Riyadh, one of the leaders of the Arab Sunni world, Bahrain, Sudan, and Djibouti have ended diplomatic relations with Iran.