Riyadh  - Dennis Ross, US President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Gulf and Southwestern Asia, on Wednesday arrived in Saudi Arabia at the start of his first tour of the region since taking office, the Saudi official news agency reported.

The official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said that Ross met with the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal, and that the two discussed "bilateral relations and regional issues of mutual concern."

Ross, one of the main architects of the new US administration's policy on Iran, was expected to discuss Iran's nuclear programme with Saudi and other Gulf leaders, SPA said.

He is traveling with Lieutenant General John R. Allen, deputy commander of US forces in the region, and Puneet Talwar, the senior director of the US National Security Council.

Ross is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Abdullah later Wednesday, before continuing his tour to the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar and Egypt later this week, the US State Department said before he left.(dpa)