Top Iran diplomat suggests 90-year-old Kuwait ruler is ill

'Praying for Emir's speedy recovery,' Mohammad Javad Zarif tweets; officials and media silent on Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Sabah's condition

By AP 18 August 2019, 4:19 pm
Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah attends the opening of the 30th Arab Summit in Tunis, Tunisia, March 31, 2019. (Fethi Belaid/ Pool photo via AP)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s foreign minister said Sunday that he was praying for the “speedy recovery” of Kuwait’s ruling emir, though there has been no public word on the 90-year-old ruler being ill or injured.

Mohammad Javad Zarif made the comment on Twitter as part of a visit to the small, oil-rich Mideast nation.

Zarif wrote: “Praying for Emir’s speedy recovery,” apparently in reference to Kuwait’s ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Sabah.

Zarif did not elaborate and Iranian media did not immediately acknowledge the remarks.


Kuwait’s Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment. There was no statement on Kuwait’s state-run KUNA news agency about the emir’s health.

Sheikh Sabah has ruled Kuwait since January 2006. He’s pushed for diplomacy to solve regional issues and hosted major donor conferences.

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