Haitham bin Tariq al-Said sworn in as new Oman ruler

MUSCAT: Haitham bin Tariq, Oman's culture minister and the 65-year-old cousin of late Sultan Qaboos, has been sworn in as the new royal ruler, the government said Saturday.

"Haitham bin Tariq was sworn in as the new sultan of the country... after a meeting of the family which decided to appoint the one who was chosen by the sultan," the government said in a tweet.

Sultan Qaboos, the longest-reigning leader of the modern Arab world who died Friday at the age of 79, was unmarried and had no children, and left no apparent heir.

Also read: Oman's Sultan Qaboos bin Said passes away

PM condoles death of Oman ruler

In a tweet sent out earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan condoled the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman with the people of the country, saying the late leader was a visionary and had transformed Oman into a vibrant, modern state. 

"I extend our deepest condolences to people of Oman on the passing of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said. He was a visionary & transformed Oman into a vibrant, modern state.Oman has lost a beloved leader & Pakistan a close, trusted friend.May his soul rest in eternal peace," he said.

Who is Haitham bin Tariq?

According to the Omani constitution, the royal family had three days to determine the successor and if they failed to agree, the person chosen by Qaboos in a letter addressed to the family would be the successor.

Most experts had expected the throne to go to Asad bin Tariq, another cousin, who was appointed deputy prime minister for international relations and cooperation affairs in 2017 in what was seen as a clear message of support.

Haitham, a sports enthusiast, held the position of undersecretary of the ministry of foreign affairs for political affairs before becoming the minister of heritage and culture in the mid-1990s.

Also read: Sultan Qaboos of Oman in 'stable condition': report

He was also the first head of Oman´s football federation in the early 80s. The sultan’s death comes at a time of heightened tension in the region between Iran and the United States and US ally Saudi Arabia. 

Oman maintains friendly ties with Washington and Tehran and helped mediate secret US-Iran talks in 2013 that led two years later to the international nuclear pact which Washington quit in 2018.

“Sultan Qaboos had such charismatic authority and became so synonymous with Oman as a modern nation-state that it will naturally be difficult for any successor to replicate that, at least at the beginning,” Ulrichsen said.