[Doctor Stochastic]

Iron would be a gas in the hot part of a star (it's all gas, really). See Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar's work. Of course, were there much iron in the Sun in a gaseous state, there should be spectral evidence. Again one is looking at temperatures in the millions of degrees whereas welding and foundry work operate in temperatures of only a few thousand degrees.

[Lazamataz]

Iron would be a gas in the hot part of a star.

Correction: Plasma.