Kerry meets with sultan of Oman

Secretary of State John Kerry visited the sultan of Oman on Friday. 

Sultan Qaboos bin Said, who has been in poor health for an undisclosed condition, has been at his estate in Munich, Germany since July, The Washington Post reported. 

Before traveling to India to attend the the Vibrant Gujarat Global Investors Summit inaugurated by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kerry stopped in Germany to express his gratitude for the sultan’s long-standing and strong relationship with the U.S., a State Department news release said.

The ruler helped facilitate the ongoing nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran. Kerry is expected to meet with his Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Wednesday. 

During the 90-minute meeting Friday, Kerry and the sultan reportedly discussed the status of Iran negotiations, the situation in Yemen, the Syrian civil war and tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, State Department officials told the Post. 

The sultan’s lengthy absence from Oman has sparked rumors that he has developed a serious health condition. He has no children as heirs.