Britain's King Charles III welcomed Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq for a state visit on Tuesday, praising the Gulf monarch's efforts to broker peace in the region. The day began with ceremonies including a reception by a red-uniformed military honour guard at Windsor Castle, ahead of a state banquet attended by about 160 guests.
"In a region that has known too much conflict, Oman has chosen a different path, an independent path," the sultan said during the banquet. "Britain has been a friend on this path and has stood beside us in this duty."
The visit comes amid severe turbulence in the Middle East prompted by the Iran war, with the US-Israel conflict against Iran under way since late February. Oman, a key United Kingdom military ally bordering the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway, has acted as mediator in talks between the United States and Iran.
Charles paid 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," the king told the 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," he added in a toast.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham attended the banquet alongside the chief executives of Shell, BP and Airbus, and is due to hold talks with the sultan on Wednesday in Downing Street, where security, trade and investment are expected to be high on the agenda.