Saudi's King Salman welcomes Iraqi president on first visit to kingdom

His Royal Highness Saudi Arabia’s King Salman received Iraq's new President Barham Saleh on Sunday on his first official visit to the Kingdom. 

The king hosted a lunch and "discussed regional developments" with Saleh, the official Saudi Press Agency said, after the Iraqi leader's arrival in Riyadh following a visit to Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran.

An Iraqi official said Saleh, a 58-year-old moderate Kurd elected to the largely ceremonial role last month, was on an overnight visit at the invitation of the Saudi monarch.

Image:Arab News

There have been a few visits as of late between the two nations as Iraq looks for nearer ties with Saudi Arabia as it hope to reconstruct after the annihilation of Daesh. 

In October 2017, Saudi Arabian spending aircraft flynas made the primary business departure from Riyadh to Baghdad in 27 years. 

Image:Arab News

Meanwhile, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Adel Al-Jubeir, met his Iraqi counterpart, Mohammad Ali Al-Hakim, in Riyadh.

During the meeting, they reviewed the close relations between the Kingdom and Iraq and means of enhancing them in all fields, in addition to discussing regional and international developments and discussing a number of issues of mutual interest.

Saudi Arabia is keen to develop strong relations with Baghdad to counter Iranian influence in Iraq.