Saudi King holds talks with Azerbaijan’s president

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev in the royal palace at the capital Riyadh on Sunday, the state-run Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The talks, which were attended by senior officials including Prince Saud al-Faisal, minister of Foreign affairs, and Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz and Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov, focused on opportunities towards bilateral cooperation between the countries, which are both oil export heavyweights.

The president’s visit signals the GCC’s intention of strengthening ties with central Asia states, especially Azerbaijan, according to Mohamad Al Salami, a Riyadh-based researcher on Iranian affairs.

“By strengthening economic, cultural, and political ties with central Asian states, which border Iran, GCC states would force Iran to reassess its political stance on issues in the area,” Al Salami told Al Arabiya News Channel.

The two heads of state also discussed regional and international developments, according to SPA.

Earlier, King Salman had met President Aliyev at the Riyadh air base airport.