Important world leaders and political personalities are among many people visiting Saudi Arabia to pay their last respect to king Abdullah, who died early on Friday.
Among the important heads of government who are travelling to Riyadh for an official ceremony on Saturday are British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande. A delegation from the United States will be led by Vice-President Joe Biden, reports the BBC.
From Iran, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will be present. An Iraqi delegation headed by the President Fuad Masoum arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday, reports Iraqi News.
King Abdullah, who was hitherto the oldest reigning king in the world, died at the age of 90. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Saudi Arabia's capital city after the prayers on Friday evening, reports said.
Abudallah's half-brother Salman, 79, was quickly announced as the next king.
Thousands of people gathered on Friday in the country's capital city to bid farewell to the leader, known around the world as a "cautious" reformer who has been hailed for securing important freedoms in the largely conservative kingdom.
The king was laid to rest in a simple and quick ceremony on Friday with the closet family members of the leader present at the graveside. Those present for the ceremony were then to proceed to pay their respects to the new monarch in the royal palace, reports CNN.
The funeral was quickly followed by the ceremony of "al Bayaah" or pledging allegiance to the new king.
Within hours of taking to throne, King Salman said: "We will continue adhering to the correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment," as quoted by media reports.
The throne has been continuously passed on to the next brother in line after King Ibn Saud died in 1953.
