King Charles welcomes Omani sultan, hails peace efforts in UK state visit

Britain's King Charles III has welcomed Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for a state visit, praising the Gulf Arab monarch's efforts to broker peace in the region.

Key points

• King Charles III praised Oman's peacemaking attempts in the Middle East, paying tribute to Muscat's "noble efforts" to support reopen the choked Strait of Hormuz.
• As well as various royals and other dignitaries, burnham was among those at Tuesday's banquet, alongside the chief executives of Shell, BP and Airbus.
• "In a region that has known too much conflict, Oman has chosen a different path, an independent path, " the Omani ruler remarked during a state banquet on Tuesday.
• "Britain has been a friend on this path and has stood beside us in this duty, " he continued.

After a day of ceremonies including a reception by a red-uniformed military honour guard at Windsor Castle, haitham bin Tariq remarked his country has chosen the path of diplomacy in a region rife with conflict.

"I would especially like to recognise, at a time when conflict has returned so painfully to the region, Oman's enduring commitment as a trusted interlocutor to all parties, " Charles informed concerning 160 guests at the lavish dinner.

"Oman's role across the Gulf and her 'constructive neutrality', as you put it, matters far beyond Hormuz, and is worthy of our utmost respect, " Britain's king continued in a toast to the Omani sultan. First in 44 years.

For context, the sultan's visit, the first state visit to Britain by a sultan of Oman in 44 years, comes against the backdrop of severe turbulence in the Middle East prompted by the Iran war.

Oman, a key United Kingdom military ally which borders the vital Hormuz waterway, has acted as a mediator in discussions between the United States and Iran since the US-Israel war against Iran kicked off in late February.

Meanwhile, the Omani sultan is due to hold discussions on Wednesday in Downing Street with Prime Minister Andy Burnham, where security, trade and investment are anticipated to be high on the agenda.

Taken together, the developments around king Charles welcomes Omani sultan, hails peace efforts in UK state visit point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.