Iranian FM leaves for Saudi Arabia

Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi left Tehran for a several-hour visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.Today, Riyadh is witnessing a funeral procession for the deceased Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Bin Abdel-Aziz. Salehi was due to pay a visit to Lebanon today, but he postponed the trip in a bid to attend the funeral ceremony in Saudi Arabia. Sources in Lebanon said Salehi put off his visit to Lebanon until he returns from Saudi Arabia. Speaking to the state-run National News Agency, Lebanon's Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour confirmed that Salehi's two-day trip to Beirut had been postponed rather than canceled, attributing the development to "urgent engagements". Salehi was due to meet with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman, Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Mansour during his visit to Lebanon Monday and Tuesday. The Iranian Embassy in Beirut said the trip was cancelled due to the absence of Suleiman and Mikati from the country. Sleiman and Mikati are traveling to Saudi Arabia today to offer condolences over the death of the Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz al-Saud.