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State media in the United Arab Emirates has published images of the country's rarely seen president greeting other ruling sheikhs for Ramadan.

The state-run WAM news agency early Thursday published images of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan at Al Bateen Palace in Abu Dhabi.

In the images, the 71-year-old Sheikh Khalifa wears white sneakers under his traditional robes.

He is greeted by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the powerful crown prince of Abu Dhabi who analysts believe runs day-to-day affairs in the UAE.

Sheikh Khalifa became the UAE's president in 2004. He is also the ruler of Abu Dhabi, the oil-rich capital of the UAE's seven sheikhdoms.

Sheikh Khalifa suffered a stroke on Jan. 24, 2014, and underwent emergency surgery. He has rarely been seen in public since.