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Dignitaries head to Saudi Arabia after King Abdullah’s death

FILE - In this March 28, 2014 file photo, President Barack Obama meets with Saudi King Abdullah at Rawdat Khuraim, Saudi Arabia. President Barack Obama will cut short his three-day trip to India to travel to Saudi Arabia to pay respects following the death of King Abdullah, U.S. and Indian officials said Saturday, hours before the U.S. president was to depart for New Delhi. The schedule change means Obama will skip plans to visit the Taj Mahal, the white marble monument of love. Pradeep Bhatnagar, a top state official based in the city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, said U.S. security officials informed him of the cancellation Saturday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File) FILE - In this March 28, 2014 file photo, President Barack Obama meets with Saudi King Abdullah at Rawdat Khuraim, Saudi Arabia. President Barack Obama will cut short his three-day trip to India to travel to Saudi Arabia to pay respects following the death of King Abdullah, U.S. and Indian officials said Saturday, hours before the U.S. president was to depart for New Delhi. The schedule change means Obama will skip plans to visit the Taj Mahal, the white marble monument of love. Pradeep Bhatnagar, a top state official based in the city of Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located, said U.S. security officials informed him of the cancellation Saturday. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais, File)

By Associated Press January 24, 2015 1 min read

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) – World leaders and top dignitaries are heading to Saudi Arabia to give their condolences following the death of King Abdullah.

The king, who presided over Saudi Arabia for around two decades, died early Friday and was buried that same afternoon in the capital Riyadh. In line with Islamic tradition, there was no memorial service and instead leaders from around the world will begin visits to Saudi Arabia starting Saturday to pay their respects.

The newly enthroned King Salman is expected to receive U.S. President Barack Obama, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, Japan’s Crown Prince Naruhito, Spain’s King Felipe, Jordan’s King Abdullah, Dutch King Willem-Alexander and the United Kingdom’s Prince Charles.

Despite deep tensions and rivalries, Iran’s IRNA news agency says Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is also heading to the kingdom.