RIYADH - A Saudi minister held talks with an Iranian delegation about the possibility of Iranian pilgrims rejoining the Haj despite ruptured ties between the two countries, state media reported late Thursday.

Iran and Saudi Arabia have had no diplomatic ties since early last year. The kingdom's minister in charge of pilgrimages, Mohammed Bentin, discussed with the Iranians "arrangements concerning participation of the Iranian faithful in this year's Haj," the official Saudi Press Agency said.

It did not give more details but said the meeting took place on Thursday in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

SPA said the talks occurred in the context of meetings organised by the pilgrimage ministry with various countries about accommodation and other logistics for the Haj, which will take place around early September.

For the first time in nearly three decades, Iran's 64,000 pilgrims did not attend last year's Haj after the regional rivals failed to agree on security and logistics.

"Iran's policy is to send pilgrims to the Haj (this year), of course, if Saudi Arabia accepts our conditions," Iran's Culture Minister Reza Salehi Amiri told state television on Wednesday, when he confirmed Iran had sent a team to Saudi Arabia.

"In a letter I've written to the Saudi Haj minister I have specified our conditions," he said.

"If they accept our conditions, we will definitely send pilgrims (this) year, otherwise the responsibility" will be on Saudi Arabia.