US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin met with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Monday amid an international outcry over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.

Iran Press/Middle East: Saudi officials said the meeting "stresses the importance of the Saudi-US strategic partnership, where it holds an important role in the future in line with the Kingdom's #Vision2030," according to its caption.

Mnuchin's arrival in Riyadh comes after he joined other government officials from multiple countries as well as top banking and finance executives in bowing out of a high-profile investor conference in Saudi Arabia amid growing controversy over Khashoggi's disappearance and apparent murder, CNN reported.

Tony Sayegh, a top Treasury spokesman, said Mnuchin and the crown prince discussed combating terrorism financing, implementing sanctions on Iran and the Khashoggi investigation.

In an earlier tweet, Sayegh stressed that Mnuchin's meeting in Saudi was a part of six-country trip, including a visit to the Terrorist Financing Targeting Center. He said the secretary was also holding meetings in preparation of Iranian sanctions that kick in on November 4.

Mnuchin nevertheless told reporters on Sunday that it would be "premature" to discuss whether the United States would impose sanctions on the Saudi government in response to the Khashoggi's death.

Mnuchin's trip to Riyadh comes just two weeks after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo went to meet with the crown prince.

Saudi Arabia has admitted dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi died shortly after he entered the Saudi embassy in Istanbul and claimed that he was killed in a “fist-fight”.

Related news:

Saudi Arabia admits Khashoggi killed in its consulate

The Washington Post columnist was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, the day a Saudi hit squad allegedly arrived at the consulate.

The Saudis on Friday claimed that Khashoggi's death was an accident.

US President Donald Trump said that Saudi Arabia's explanation for how journalist Jamal Khashoggi died at its consulate in Istanbul was credible.

The US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin also said the Saudi kingdom's explanation was a “good first step but not enough". He added it was too soon to discuss any sanctions against the world's biggest oil exporter.

Washington has remained more hesitant to threaten Riyadh with economic consequences, with Trump saying repeatedly that he did not want the Khashoggi issue to jeopardize $110 billion US arms deal with the Kingdom.

Jamal Khashoggi disappeared on October 2 in Istanbul, and was last seen entering the Saudi Consulate, where he went to receive papers required to remarry.

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