WASHINGTON, April 9 (Xinhua) -- Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Monday visited the Pentagon and met with U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis to reaffirm and enhance the strategic security partnership between the two nations.

According to a statement of Pentagon spokesperson Dana White, Mattis and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani discussed mutual security interests, including the campaign to defeat the Islamic State (IS).

They also discussed the Gulf Cooperation Council and the importance of deescalating tensions so all U.S. partners in the region can work together in the region, the statement read.

The two sides also affirmed their shared commitment to continued security cooperation, as the United States announced to sell Qatar Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) for an estimated cost of 300 million U.S. dollars also on Monday.

At an enhanced honor cordon welcoming the Qatar top leader to the Pentagon, Mattis lauded Qatar's long-term support of the United States in information sharing and counterterrorism efforts.

Sheikh Tamim said his nation hosts more than 10,000 U.S. servicemen and women and work with Washington in countering terrorism.

"We're looking also forward on ways how to expand this relationship," he said.

Last year, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt accused Qatar of "supporting terrorism" and "undermining regional security" by seeking closer ties with Iran, an accusation Qatar strongly denied and called it "unjustified" and "baseless."

U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks in June, which claimed that Qatar had funded terrorism "at a very high level," further exacerbated the standoff.

Trump is scheduled to meet Sheikh Tamim at the White House.