Security drives U.S., Saudi efforts to overcome tensions

RIYADH, Feb 17 (Reuters) – The United States and Saudi Arabia are trying to move beyond a public spat last year that saw strategic ties hit a nadir, as Western and Gulf security concerns align over the threat from Iranian drones, diplomats and regional experts say. A senior U.S. delegation visited Saudi Arabia this week for defence talks with the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, headquartered in Riyadh, that was postponed from October when a row erupted between Washington and Riyadh over oil policy. “The working groups offer a way for the U.S. to engage with Gulf partners on issues of…