U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Oman Friday for a meeting with the country's new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.

Pompeo will also pay homage to relatives of Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who died in January.

Oman has close ties with Iran and Saudi Arabia, where Pompeo departed from earlier Friday after a three-day visit.

Pompeo and Saudi King Salman discussed regional security issues presented by Iran Thursday in Riyadh. Pompeo also met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Regional tensions escalated dramatically last month after the U.S. killing of a top Iranian general.

Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally, has supported U.S. efforts to counter Iran but warned against military action after multiple attacks last year damaged the kingdom's oil facilities. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of carrying out the strikes, which Tehran denies.

The risk of a regional war diminished last month after the U.S. and Iran backed away following a U.S. air strike in Iraq killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and Iran responded with missile attacks on U.S. military bases that injured more than 100 troops. 

Before his trips to Oman and Saudi Arabia, Pompeo spent three days in Africa, visiting leaders of Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia.

Source : VOA