KUWAIT: HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah met yesterday with world leaders and senior US, Iranian and Saudi officials, who separately paid respects over the passing of late Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf received late yesterday Britain’s Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, who arrived in Kuwait to offer condolences on the passing of late Amir Sheikh Sabah.

Earlier yesterday, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed Al-Maktoum met HH the Amir to express his condolences. HH Sheikh Nawaf also received Qatar’s Father Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani yesterday, who offered condolences over the passing of late Amir Sheikh Sabah.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called Deputy Chief of Kuwait’s National Guard Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah on Saturday to offer his condolences. Several Saudi regional governors travelled to Kuwait yesterday to do the same.

The late Amir balanced Kuwait’s ties between larger neighbors Saudi Arabia and Iran and kept a strong relationship with the United States, which led a coalition that ended Iraq’s 1990-91 occupation of Kuwait.

“He will be remembered as a great man and a special friend to the United States,” US Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in comments tweeted by the US Embassy during his visit to extend condolences of the US administration. HH Sheikh Nawaf said he was glad that US President Donald Trump, who has been hospitalized after being diagnosed with coronavirus, was “recovering and well”. Esper thanked him for his “expression of concern”. 

In a divided region, Sheikh Sabah cultivated a role as a go-between and mediator, a status illustrated by yesterday’s visitors. Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif met HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf and his Kuwaiti counterpart to pay his respects. Zarif “congratulated them on the election of the new Amir of Kuwait and stressed the support of the Islamic Republic of Iran”, the Iranian foreign ministry said in a statement. Zarif also lauded the late Amir for fostering “moderation and balance”. Iranian state media later carried a message by President Hassan Rouhani to HH the Amir: “I am confident that, as in the past, we will see a growing expansion of friendly and fraternal ties between the two countries.” - Agencies