Feb. 26 (UPI) — Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir met Saturday with Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a visit that marks further efforts to ease tensions between the two countries.
The visit was the first by a Saudi foreign minister in at least two decades. Last year, Saudi Arabia reopened its embassy in Baghdad after 25 years.
According to the Kuwait News Agency, the Saudi foreign minister “congratulated the Iraqi military on its victory over terrorist groups and assured that the kingdom backs up Baghdad in the battle against terrorism.”
Relations between the two countries have been tense recently since a Saudi ambassador Thamer al-Sabhan accused Iran Shia militias of an assassination plot and commented about Iranian involvement in Iraqi affairs.
