Britain’s King Charles III welcomed Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq on Tuesday for a state visit, praising the Gulf Arab monarch’s efforts to broker peace in the region.
The visit began with ceremonies including a reception by a red-uniformed military honour guard at Windsor Castle. It marks the first state visit to Britain by an Omani sultan in 44 years.
Haitham bin Tariq spoke at a state banquet, stating that his country has chosen the path of diplomacy in a region rife with conflict.
“In a region that has known too much conflict, Oman has chosen a different path, an independent path,” the Omani ruler told about 160 guests at the dinner.
“Britain has been a friend on this path and has stood beside us in this duty,” he added.
King Charles praised Oman’s peacemaking attempts in the Middle East, paying tribute to Muscat’s noble efforts to help reopen the choked Strait of Hormuz.
“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 said in a toast.
“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,” the British monarch added.
The sultan’s trip takes place during severe turbulence in the Middle East caused by the Iran war. Oman, a key United Kingdom military ally that borders the vital Hormuz waterway, has acted as a mediator in talks between the United States and Iran since the US-Israel war against Iran started in late February.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended Tuesday’s banquet alongside the chief executives of Shell, BP and Airbus, as well as various royals and dignitaries.
The Omani sultan is due to hold talks on Wednesday in Downing Street with Burnham, where security, trade and investment are expected to be high on the agenda.
