Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Monday that Iraq is strategically important to Saudi Arabia.
In a tweet, he said Saudi Arabia and Iraq were both strategically important to each other.
“It was therefore, natural for Riyadh to be the first stop in (Iraqi Prime Minister) Mustafa al-Kadhimi’s foreign visits,” he added.
He said the Kingdom saw fit to postpone the visit after Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman had entered hospital for medical tests in order to give the trip the importance it deserves.
Kadhimi was scheduled to arrive in Saudi Arabia on Monday on an official visit and at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense.
He was to head a delegation of top ministers and officials in order to discuss strategic bilateral relations.
The visit will be rescheduled after King Salman is discharged from hospital, announced Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan earlier on Monday.
