Saudi Arabia has said the banning of citizens from six countries from entering the US is aimed at preventing terrorists entering the country, according to a senior advisor to the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

US President Donald Trump met with Prince Mohammed at the White House on Tuesday in his first meeting with a senior official from a Muslim majority country. The pair discussed many pressing issues, including the controversial decision by President Trump to push ahead with a revised version of his controversial attempt to ban some citizens from six Muslim majority countries from entering the US.

“This measure is a sovereign decision aimed at preventing terrorists from entering the United States of America,” said a senior adviser to the Saudi Deputy Crown Prince.

“President Trump expressed his deep respect for the Religion of Islam, considering it one of the divine religions that came with great human principles kidnapped by radical groups.

“At the same time, Prince Mohammed Bin Salman emphasised that information from Saudi Arabia confirms the existence of a plot against the United States of America that has been planned in those countries in secret by those groups that took advantage of what they assume a security weakness to conduct operations against the United States of America.”

Prince Mohammed said, after the meeting, his satisfaction with the

positive attitude and clarifications he heard from President Trump about his

stance on Islam, which runs against what the media promoted about the

president, stressing that Mr Trump has an unprecedented and serious intention

to work with the Muslim World and to achieve its interests and that Prince

Mohammed considers him as a true friend of Muslims who will serve the Muslim

World.