Saudi King Salman to undergo medical tests for lung inflammation amid health concerns
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz delivers speech virtually during opening session of the 15th G20 Leaders Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on November 21, 2020. (Reuters Photo)
Saudi King Salman will undergo medical tests on Sunday evening for lung inflammation, according to a statement from the royal court reported by the state news agency. The brief statement did not provide additional details.
The 88-year-old king of the world’s largest oil exporter and a key U.S. ally in the Middle East previously received medical care for lung inflammation in May, 2024.
He last chaired a cabinet meeting in August, shortly after issuing a royal decree allowing the cabinet to convene in his absence, the absence of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, or both.
The decree stipulated that, in their absence, the eldest cabinet member who is a descendant of King Salman’s father, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, the founder of modern Saudi Arabia, would preside over meetings.
King Salman underwent gallbladder surgery in 2020 and has been king since the death of King Abdullah in 2015. In 2017, he replaced Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef with his son, Mohammed bin Salman.
