Saudi King Abdullah and visiting Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad agreed on Saturday to fight sectarian strife in the Middle East, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

"The two leaders asserted that the greatest danger threatening the Muslim nation at the present time is the attempt to spread strife between Sunni and Shiite Muslims and that efforts should be exerted to stop such attempts and close ranks," SPA said.

During their talks, Ahmadinejad and King Abdullah voiced support for Iraq's government, its national unity and the "equality of its citizens," it said.

The Iranian president said his country supported Riyadh's efforts to calm down the situation in Lebanon and resolve the political crisis there, said the report.

Ahmadinejad, who arrived in Riyadh earlier in the day, was greeted by King Abdullah at the airport. And the two leaders held talks after the Saudi monarch hosted a dinner for the Iranian guest who is on his first official visit to Saudi Arabia.

Ahmadinejad's visit to Riyadh comes at a time of political crisis in Lebanon and continued sectarian bloodshed in Iraq, two countries where Tehran and Riyadh have an important influence.

It also precedes a conference of Iraq's neighbors in Baghdad on March 10, which Iran and Syria as well as the United States and Britain will attend, and an Arab summit in Riyadh at the end of the month.

SPA said Ahmadinejad left Riyadh after his talks with King Abdullah.

Source: Xinhua