David Jackson

USA TODAY

President Obama will visit Saudi Arabia next month amid reports of a strained American-Saudi relationship over Iran and Syria.

White House press secretary Jay Carney announced that Obama would meet with Saudi King Abdullah in late March, calling it "part of regular consultations" between the two countries.

"The president looks forward to discussing with King Abdullah the enduring and strategic ties between the United States and Saudi Arabia as well as ongoing cooperation to advance a range of common interests related to Gulf and regional security, peace in the Middle East, countering violent extremism, and other issues of prosperity and security," Carney said.

The Saudi stop will be added to a late March trip that includes the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Vatican City.

Obama and King Abdullah also met in 2009 and 2010.

The Wall Street Journal, citing Arab officials who have been briefed on the trip's preparations, said the meeting with King Abdullah is part of an effort to ease tensions:

"Relations between Washington and Riyadh have grown inflamed in the past year over the Obama administration's Middle East policies, particularly its outreach to Iran and its unwillingness to get involved militarily in Syria's civil war.

"Iran, Saudi Arabia's principal regional rival, backs Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, while Riyadh has been supporting the Syrian rebels. Each is viewed as the custodian of one of Islam's two main sects, with Saudi Arabia predominantly Sunni, and Iran predominantly Shiite. ...

"Arab officials briefed on the coming summit, which was pulled together quickly in recent days, said it would be crucial to aligning American and Saudi policies as political change and sectarian strife continue to sweep the Mideast and North Africa. 'This is about a deteriorating relationship' and declining trust, said a senior Arab official in describing the need for the summit."