World leaders travel to Oman to meet its newly named sultan

DUBAI-The Associated Press

A handout picture published on the Tunisian Presidency official Facebook page on Jan. 12, shows Tunisian President Kais Saied (L) meeting with Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in the Omani capital Muscat. (AFP Photo)

World leaders traveled on Jan. 12 to Oman to meet the country's new sultan, named just a day earlier after the death of the nation's longtime ruler Sultan Qaboos bin Said.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Prince Charles were among those who arrived in Muscat to meet Oman's new ruler, Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.

Other leaders included Kuwait's ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, as well as Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

Sultan Haitham was Oman's culture minister before being named as the successor to Sultan Qaboos, the Middle East's longest-ruling monarch whose death was announced Saturday. He died at the age of 79 after years of an undisclosed illness.

Sultan Haitham, 66, has pledged to follow Sultan Qaboos' example of promoting peace and dialogue in the Mideast. Oman has served as an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S., which are facing a level of unprecedented tensions.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif traveled to Muscat on Jan. 12 as well to meet Sultan Haitham.

Oman sits on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula.