Dignitaries travel to Saudi Arabia in wake of king’s death

Associated Press

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia

World leaders and top dignitaries began arriving in Saudi Arabia on Saturday to give their condolences after the death of King Abdullah, who died early Friday at age 90 after nearly two decades at the helm.

Despite deep tensions and rivalries between the nations, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was among the first to arrive to the Sunni-ruled kingdom Saturday where he was greeted at the airport by the late king’s son, Prince Turki, who is governor of Riyadh. Saudi state TV showed Zarif walking with the prince down a red carpet on the tarmac.

The newly enthroned King Salman also is expected to receive in the coming days U.S. President Barack Obama, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, Spain’s King Felipe VI, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik, Dutch King Willem-Alexander, and the United Kingdom’s Prince Charles. Morocco’s Prince Moulay Rachid will pay his respects on the behalf of his brother King Mohammed VI.

The king, who ascended to the throne in 2005 but had been de-facto ruler for a decade before that, was buried Friday afternoon in an unmarked grave after a prayer service in the capital Riyadh.

The Muslim-only funeral was attended by Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and the rulers of Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.