MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The veteran foreign minister has been replaced with diplomat Adel al-Jubeir, who has served as Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the United States since 2007, according to Al Jazeera.
The king also dismissed his half-brother Muqrin bin Abdulaziz as the country’s crown prince, appointing instead his nephew, Interior Minister Mohammed bin Nayef.
King Salman took over power in Saudi Arabia in late January after the death of his half-brother, King Adbullah.
The 79-year-old monarch ordered a major cabinet reshuffle shortly after coming to power, replacing the heads of nine ministries, though keeping long-time ministers oil, finance and foreign affairs.
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s few remaining absolute monarchies.
