Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has told the Sunday Times newspaper that he would like to make an official visit to Iran.

Yes, obviously I would like to go to Iran, the Sunday Times quoted him as saying.

I know that Iran has been such an important part of the world for so many centuries and has contributed so much to human knowledge, culture, poetry, art. I mean, really remarkable people, he said.

Asked about any future royal visits, a spokeswoman for Prince Charles said, There are no plans for The Prince of Wales to undertake an official visit to Iran.

Prince Charles’s wish to visit Iran comes at a time of heightened tensions between Tehran and the West.

Charles told the Sunday Times he tries to be a peacemaker and that he has prayed for peace in the Middle East.

I do think the most important thing is a just and lasting peace, he said in the interview.

In February 2004, Charles became the first member of the Royal Family to visit the Islamic Republic after the 1979. He visited the country following the devastating earthquake of Bam in late 2003, which killed more than 40,000 people.

London and Tehran have had rocky relations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, typified by accusations of spying, tit-for-tat diplomatic expulsions and mutual distrust.

Britain’s royal family steers clear of politics, though Charles, who will become governor of the Church of England when he ascends the throne, has long spoken out on issues such as inter-faith dialogue and the environment.