U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke by phone to Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Friday for the first time, Reuters reports with reference to Saudi state media said early on Saturday.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud congratulated Blinken on taking up his new appointment last week and said the kingdom hopes to work with the United States to face common challenges and maintain regional stability, state news agency SPA reported.
Blinken’s first call to a Gulf state since assuming his new role was to the United Arab Emirates’ Minister of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.