Blinken holds talks with Saudi Crown Prince amid tensions.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss their "shared commitment to advance stability, security, and prosperity across the Middle East and beyond," despite strained relations between the two countries. The Biden administration has clashed with Saudi Arabia over its oil supply, partnership with Russia in OPEC+, and China-mediated détente with Iran. The relationship remains due to Saudi Arabia's reliance on America as a security guarantor for the wider Middle East and shared interests in ending the kingdom's war in Yemen and striking a lasting cease-fire in Sudan. Discussions may have included human rights issues, including the 2018 killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi.