Washington and Jeddah, Asharq Al-Awsat—Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz arrives in Washington on Thursday to meet with President Barack Obama and US officials, on his first visit to the United States since acceding to the Saudi throne.

The Saudi Royal Palace issued a statement on Wednesday saying the visit comes following an invitation from President Obama and highlights King Salman’s “concern for liaising with world leaders in order to safeguard the interests of the Saudi people and the Arab and Islamic worlds, and to reiterate the bonds of friendship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States . . . ”

White House officials told Asharq Al-Awsat the two leaders will meet on Friday to discuss regional issues including the fight against terrorism, and the crises in Yemen and Syria, as well as the recent nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a statement the visit showed the importance of the relationship between both countries.

“His [King Salman’s] visit underscores the importance of the strategic partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia,” he told reporters last week.

“President Obama and King Salman will discuss a range of issues and focus on ways to further strengthen the bilateral relationship, including counter-terrorism efforts”, he said.

Earnest added that both countries were keen to “ensure that we’re doing everything we can to counter Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.”

Commentators and analysts expect the visit will confirm pledges of military aid and support made by Obama to Gulf countries in May following the announcement of the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.

Obama said in May in a meeting with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Washington that the US had an “ironclad commitment to the security of our gulf partners,” pledging extra support for Gulf countries to defend themselves against potential attacks from Iran.