Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi expressed regret for describing the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a "mistake."

Khosrowshahi made his original remarks to "Axios on HBO" TV series.

Referring to the government of Saudi Arabia, the Uber chief told the show, "I think that government said that they made a mistake."

"It's a serious mistake," Khosrowshahi said on the show, adding, "We've made mistakes too, right? With self-driving, and we stopped driving and we're recovering from that mistake. I think that people make mistakes, it doesn't mean that they can never be forgiven. I think they have taken it seriously."

Saudi Arabia is Uber's fifth-largest shareholder and the head of its sovereign wealth fund is a member of the board.

Asked by CNBC for a comment, an Uber representative pointed to Khosrowshahi's statement to Axios expressing regret for the language he used on the show. "I said something in the moment that I do not believe. When it comes to Jamal Khashoggi, his murder was reprehensible and should not be forgotten or excused," Khosrowshahi said in the statement.