Joe Biden first spoke to King Salman of Saudi Arabia on Thursday, in a phone call that must be quickly followed by the release of a potentially explosive US report into the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi .
Also read: Biden read report on murdered journalist Khashoggi
The US president
"underlined the importance the United States places on universal human rights and the rule of law,"
the White House said in a statement.
But he also referred to
“the United States' commitment to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory against attacks from pro-Iran groups”.
The king
"thanked him",
according to the official Saudi press agency SPA, which also noted that Joe Biden had pledged that Tehran would
"never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons".
The American president, who recalled the
"long-standing"
and
"historic
" partnership
between the two allied countries, also
"underlined the importance that the United States places in universal human rights and the rule of law" ,
the White House said in a statement.
In this regard,
"he noted in a positive manner the recent release of several American-Saudi activists and of Ms. Loujain al-Hathloul",
a feminist activist.
The two leaders discussed US efforts to end the war in Yemen, where Joe Biden halted Washington's support for the Ryad-led military coalition.
"The president told King Salman that he would work to make bilateral relations as strong and transparent as possible,"
the White House added.
The statement does not refer to the US intelligence report on Jamal Khashoggi, which is expected to implicate powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, says MBS, despite the kingdom's denials.
But the US government had previously said it would be unveiled
"very soon"
after the phone call between Joe Biden and the monarch.