Saudi state news agency reported early on Wednesday that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the bilateral relations between the two countries. The agency added that they also discussed "areas of cooperation in various fields and developments in regional and international situations."
An American official revealed that "Blinken and bin Salman had open and candid talks in the early hours of Wednesday." He said, "There was a good level of convergence on potential initiatives of mutual interest while also recognizing that there are differences between us."
He noted that they "discussed a comprehensive range of bilateral issues such as the possibility of normalizing relations between the Kingdom and Israel, issues concerning Yemen and Sudan, and human rights." He added that "the meeting lasted for one hour and 40 minutes."
Blinken arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a visit aimed at solidifying relations between the two countries after deepening disagreements over issues including Iran, regional security, and oil prices.
