Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Saudi Arabia's defense minister Thursday in an effort to strengthening United States ties to the kingdom.

Saudia Arabia is a historic enemy of Iran and a strategic counterbalance in the Middle East.

During their meeting at the State Department, Clinton highlighted the importance of a strong relationship between the United States and Saudi Arabia.
    
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Salman bin Abdul Aziz said he looks forward to continuing the excellent relationship between the two countries.

"Our two countries are friendly countries that share common interests. And I hope that my current visit to the United States will be a continuation of the excellent relationship that exists between our two countries," he said.