Saudi Arabia’s new King Salman on Friday named one of his sons as defense minister and his nephew as deputy crown prince, cementing power for his branch of the royal family.

Saudi Arabia's new King Salman on Friday named one of his sons as defense minister and his nephew as deputy crown prince, cementing power for his branch of the royal family.

The appointments of Prince Mohammed bin Salman as defense chief and Interior Minister Prince Mohammed bin Nayef as second in line to the throne coincided with Salman's first public remarks as king.

"I pray to God to give me support," Salman said, wearing a dark, gold-fringed cape as he read from a binder in a wood-paneled room.

"We will remain with God's strength attached to the straight path that this state has walked since its establishment by King Abdul Aziz bin Saud, and by his sons after him," Salman said in a televised speech.

Prince Moqren, previously deputy crown prince, was named as his heir.

As interior minister, Prince Mohammed bin Nayef served in a post also held by his father, the late Nayef bin Abdulaziz.

The younger Nayef was in charge of a crackdown on Al-Qaeda following a wave of deadly attacks in the Gulf state between 2003 and 2007.

His appointment helps to solidify control by the new king's Sudayri branch of the royal family, named after Hissa bint Ahmad al-Sudayri, the mother of Salman and his late brother Nayef.

Their influence had waned under King Abdullah, who died early Friday at the age of about 90.

Despite the new appointments, Salman pledged no change in the kingdom's direction, while calling for Muslim unity.