Iranian president heads to Saudi Arabia
Ahmadinejad arrives in Saudi for first official visit Saturday, hopes to reach cooperation with King Abdullah, discuss Iran's nuclear case
Ahmadinejad, whose country could face tougher UN sanctions over its refusal to suspend its nuclear program, will meet King Abdullah, whose country, a major US ally, is worried about Shiite Muslim Iran's growing influence in the region.
"In the meeting with King Abdullah, we will discuss those issues that should be carried out jointly in the Islamic world and also the region," The official IRNA news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying shortly before leaving Tehran.
Iranian state radio said talks would cover "changes in the region and Islamic world, expanding mutual ties, the situation in the Middle East and Iran's nuclear case".
Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and other senior officials were among the delegation, it added. An Iranian official said Ahmadinejad would stay until Sunday.
"Iran is looking for a key role in the region and this is an opportunity to haggle over the nuclear issue by meddling in the thorny issues involving Lebanon, Iraq and Palestine," said Jeddah-based analyst and researcher Zuhair al-Harthi.
