US President Joe Biden and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz discussed - in their first phone call - aspects of the partnership between the two countries and issues of regional security and human rights.
The White House said in a statement issued Thursday evening local time that Biden and King Salman discussed "the commitment of the United States to support Saudi Arabia in defending its territories in the face of attacks by groups allied with Iran."
The statement added that Biden reaffirmed the importance that the United States attaches to human rights and the rule of law in Saudi Arabia, and that he referred positively to the release of a number of Saudi-American activists as well as Loujain Al-Hathloul.
The White House said that the US President informed King Salman that he would work to make the bilateral relations as strong and transparent as possible.
On the other hand, the official Saudi Press Agency said that King Salman stressed, during the call, "the depth of the relationship between the two countries and the importance of strengthening the partnership between them to serve their interests and achieve security and stability in the region and the world."
She added that he expressed "the Kingdom's keenness to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen and its endeavor to achieve security and development for the Yemeni people."