RIYADH // Saudi Arabia’s King Salman will visit the United States next month for the first time since ascending the throne, a diplomat said on Wednesday.
The monarch will be meeting president Barack Obama on September 5, Saudi officials said.
He will also attend a US-Saudi forum in Washington to be held from September 4 to 6, the source said, requesting anonymity.
The forum would focus on “energy, health, petrochemicals as well as financial services”, said the diplomat.
King Salman, who ascended the throne in January after the death of King Abdullah, did not attend a Gulf leaders’ summit with Mr Obama in May but was represented instead by two potential future monarchs who are also in charge of security policy, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Nayef, and King Salman’s son and defence minister, Mohammad bin Salman.
King Salman is expected to visit Egypt after the Washington trip, before returning to Saudi Arabia.
The visit comes amid Saudi concerns about a nuclear deal reached with regional rival Iran.
Washington has sought to allay the concerns of its traditional allies over a historic deal the US and other world powers reached with Tehran over the Islamic republic’s suspect nuclear programme.
Since late last year, Saudi Arabia has also been part of a US-led coalition bombing the ISIL group which has occupied parts of Iraq and Syria.
US aerial refuelling, intelligence and other assistance have also supported a Saudi-led coalition that has been fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen.
* Associated Press and Agence France-Presse
