Charles is first royal in Iran for 33 years

The Prince showed himself to be on friendly terms with Mohammad Khatami, with the half-hour meeting described as a "warm and cordial".

The heir to the throne’s secret trip to Iran followed a surprise morale-boosting mission to see British troops in neighbouring Iraq yesterday.

It is his first visit to Iran, which was branded part of the "axis of evil" by United States President George Bush over claims it was hiding development of nuclear weapons.

Clarence House has stressed the Prince’s visit was purely humanitarian, not political, and that the focus of his trip was the city of Bam, where thousands died in a devastating earthquake more than a month ago.

The Prince landed in the Iranian capital Tehran last night before meeting the president this morning.

He is understood to have listened as the president spoke of relations between the UK and Iran, referring to the positive trend of dialogue between the countries and efforts to solve misunderstandings.

The president also spoke through an interpreter of "the need for a free election" in Iraq under UN supervision. He said Iran was ready to help establish a non-sectarian and non-religious government.

Prince Charles is the first British royal to travel to the republic since Prince Philip and Princess Anne were there 33 years ago.

The Iranian monarchy was overthrown in 1979 and its Shah forced into exile.

The Prince was also due to tour Bam in the north of the country where 42,000 people died in the powerful quake last December.

It registered 6.7 on the Richter scale and devastated 80 per cent of the city.

Three days ago, the prince described the plight of the survivors as "utterly heart-rending".

In Basra yesterday, Prince Charles described the servicemen and women stationed there as "a remarkable bunch of people".

In a speech to troops during his five-and-a-half hour stay in Iraq’s second city, he praised the soldiers for work on the "hearts and minds campaign".

Both trips were kept under wraps for security concerns, with details of the Iraqi visit only being released when Charles was out of the country. He was kept away from the capital Baghdad where the threat of suicide bombers and anti-Western insurgents is high.

The Foreign Office is still advising against all but the most essential travel to Iraq, where terrorists are actively targeting British and US interests.

Around 9000 British soldiers are serving in Iraq with 4500 based in Basra, forming part of the 20th Armoured Brigade.

Charles landed at Basra International Airport from Kuwait, in a C130 Hercules armed with equipment to deflect any surface-to-air missiles.

He then flew by Chinook to the Al-Sarraji Palace compound, accompanied by a helicopter gunship firing flares.

The palace, built in the 1980s for Saddam, is now used as the brigade’s operation headquarters. The Prince chatted and shook hands with the soldiers as they tucked into tea and biscuits.

Colour Sergeant James Wilson, 35, of Milford Haven, west Wales, said after meeting the Prince: "He asked about the situation here. It’s improved a hell of a lot since we arrived, and it’s improving all the time.

"He’s our Colonel-in-Chief so it’s an honour to have him come and find time to speak to the boys."

Later in the day, Charles met Sir Jeremy Greenstock, the UK’s special representative for Iraq.

Sir Jeremy said of Charles’s tour: "This is not a safe theatre for any visitor.

"This makes it even more of a gesture to the troops."