Washington (Web Desk/Agencies): United States (US) President Donald Trump said that King Charles does not want Iran to have a nuclear weapon, making the remark during a White House state dinner hosted for the visiting British monarch on Tuesday.
President Donald Trump drew attention to Iran’s nuclear issue, bringing the sensitive Middle East situation into remarks delivered at the high-profile diplomatic gathering.
The visit comes at a delicate moment in US-UK relations, with Trump having recently criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over what he described as insufficient cooperation regarding the Iran conflict.
During his speech at the dinner, Trump said, "We're doing a little Middle East work right now, and we're doing very well,"
He went on to add further remarks linking the British monarch to his own stance on Iran, stating, "We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we're never going to let that opponent ever - Charles agrees with me even more than I do - we're never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon."
King Charles, who also spoke at the event, did not address Iran or the ongoing conflict in his remarks. As a constitutional monarch, he does not act as a representative or spokesperson for the British government.
Following the comments made at the dinner, the British Embassy in Washington directed inquiries to Buckingham Palace, which did not issue an immediate response when approached for comment.
Earlier in the visit, King Charles had addressed the US Congress, where he similarly refrained from mentioning the Iran conflict directly. Instead, he focused on broader international concerns, including referencing Trump’s criticism of NATO, emphasising the importance of continued American support for Ukraine in its war against Russia, and cautioning against the dangers of isolationist foreign policy approaches.
On the issue of Iran, both the United Kingdom and the United States have consistently maintained that Tehran must not be permitted to develop nuclear weapons.
Iran, however, denies any intention to build nuclear arms, insisting that its nuclear programme is intended for peaceful civilian use, including uranium enrichment, under the framework of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
Diplomatic efforts to resolve the US-Israel–Iran conflict remain stalled, with tensions persisting over competing proposals. President Trump has reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with Iran’s latest offer, while US officials have indicated that Tehran described itself as being in a “state of collapse” and currently uncertain about its leadership structure.
Iran’s most recent proposal reportedly suggested postponing any discussion of its nuclear programme until after the conflict is resolved and disputes over maritime shipping are addressed.
However, the United States has rejected this approach, insisting that nuclear-related issues must be dealt with at the very beginning of any negotiations, according to an official briefed on Trump’s meeting with advisers.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump further commented on the situation, stating: "Iran has just informed us that they are in a 'State of Collapse'. They want us to 'Open the Hormuz Strait,' as soon as possible, as they try to figure out their leadership situation (Which I believe they will be able to do!)."