Saudi official in US for talks on Yemen, Iran

Saudi Arabia's deputy defense minister on Tuesday became the highest-ranking Saudi envoy to visit Washington since Joe Biden became president in January, and held talks with senior officials on the Yemen war and threats from Iran.

The minister, Prince Khalid bin Salman, is the younger brother of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Read: Iran says Saudi talks progress but time needed to resolve disputes

The two officials discussed the US partnership with Saudi Arabia, regional security and "the US commitment to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory as it faces attacks from Iranian-aligned groups."

The prince also met with Colin Kahl, the US defense undersecretary for policy, and the two discussed "efforts to end the war in Yemen and the shared US-Saudi commitment to counter Iran’s destabilising activities" and other issues, the Pentagon said.

The meetings were to give Saudi Arabia a sense of how relations with the United States have shifted from the pro-Saudi policies of former Republican President Donald Trump.

A Saudi-led military coalition intervened in Yemen in 2015 after the Iran-aligned Houthi group ousted the country's government from Sanaa. The Houthis say they are fighting a corrupt system.

Read more: Will judge Iran's new president by 'reality on ground': Saudi Arabia

Yemen President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi's government is now in Aden, though Hadi is based in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Tens of thousands of Yemenis, mostly civilians, have died in six years of war and millions are on the brink of famine.

Psaki said talks would also cover Saudi defense needs.

"They'll discuss the longstanding partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia, regional security and the US commitment to help Saudi Arabia defend its territory as it faces attacks from Iranian-aligned groups," she said.