Iran is ready for more talks with Saudi Arabia if Riyadh is willing to hold the talks in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect, the semi-official news agency Fars quoted Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi as saying on Saturday.

Regional rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia, which severed diplomatic ties in 2016, launched direct talks hosted by Iraq last year at a time when global powers are trying to salvage a 2015 nuclear pact with Tehran, and as U.N.-led efforts to end a war in Yemen stall.

"Iran is ready to continue these negotiations until reaching an outcome, provided that the Saudis are willing to continue the negotiations in an atmosphere of mutual understanding and respect," Fars quoted Raisi as saying in a phone call with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi.

Iran had said earlier that its meetings with Saudi Arabia had been positive and had not complained about Riyadh’s attitude.

Saudi Arabia has described the talks as cordial but exploratory, while Tehran says they had gone a "good distance".

Recent missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthis on targets in the United Arab Emirates might have affected the chances of more talks between Riyadh and Tehran.

With reporting by Reuters