TEHRAN In an unconventional diplomatic act, the King Abdullah of Jordan accompanied the U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the airport at the end of his visit to Jordan on Sunday.

Powell drove King Abdullah from his Raghdan Palace to Amman Airport. The king sat in the passenger seat, with no one in the back seats.

The daily ***New York Times*** on Monday carried a photo showing Powell driving the king's Mercedes. The caption said that Powell had asked Abdullah to allow him to drive his car to the airport.

It is not in line with the diplomatic norm for the king of a country to accompany the foreign minister of another country to the airport.