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Rival regional powers and resumed talks in the after they were suspended in March, Iran's semi-official Nour News reported on Saturday.

There was no confirmation from Saudi Arabia or on the resumption of the talks.

"The latest positive meeting has raised hopes for the two countries to take steps toward the resumption of ties,” said Nour News, which is affiliated with the country's Supreme National Security Council. It did not say when the fifth round of talks were held.

Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shia��cleric in Saudi Arabia.

Iran the talks in March without giving a reason for the decision that came as a new round of negotiations was due to start. The move came after Saudi Arabia 81 men in its biggest mass execution in decades. Tehran condemned the executions that activists said included 41 Shia��Muslims.

Predominantly Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shia��Iran, which are locked in around the region, started direct talks last year to try to contain tensions.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have backed opposing sides in regional conflicts and political disputes in , and Iraq for years, and Saudi Arabia has led an Arab coalition waging war against the Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen since 2015.��

(Reuters)