The Saudi Royal family has released a photograph of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman amid speculation of his assassination. 

The prince's press spokesman has tweeted pictures of him chairing a meeting of the Council for Economic and Development Affairs.

Salman had not been seen since April 21 when Iranian media reported that there had been a coup attempt, reports Mail Online.   

Iranian media speculated that Prince Salman had been arrested or that he was even killed during the 'coup'.

Videos were posted on social media which claimed to be of heavy gunfire outside the palace in Rihayd.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are fierce rivals in the Middle East with both countries vying for influence in the region, including in Lebanon and Yemen.

Iran's Kayhan newspaper had claimed: 'At least two bullets have hit bin Salman in April 21 clashes in Riyadh and it is even possible that he is dead.'

The paper speculated about why Salman was not pictured when new US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo paid his first visit to Saudi Arabia Riyadh in late April -  but King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir were pictured.

'There is plenty of evidence to suggest that the absence of nearly 30 days of Muhammad bin Sulman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, is due to an incident which is being hidden from the public,' Kayhan claimed, according to Mail Online.

Source: Mail Online