RIYADH, May 22: Saudi Arabia and Russia have stressed the need for adopting diplomatic means to resolve the Iran-West standoff. The two sides have also agreed to set up a joint working group to handle issues relating to war against international terrorism.

“I hope that this structure will hold its first meeting soon,” the visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergie Lavrov said before leaving Riyadh for Kuwait on Monday.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal stressed the importance of Saudi-Soviet relations and said: “Our contacts are very successfully developing also in the economic sphere and the hydrocarbons sector is of major interest.”

Russia and Saudi Arabia also expressed their opposition to sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme.

The two sides called for ‘more diplomacy’ to resolve the standoff. Mr Lavrov also called on King Abdullah and delivered a personal message from President Vladimir Putin.

During his stay here the Russian foreign minister also had detailed discussions on the regional political situation with members of the Saudi National Security Council.

“I do not think we have yet exhausted a diplomatic solution to this issue, so the talk about other options and sanctions is premature and will not produce the desired results,” Prince Saud said during a joint press conference.

“As I have said many times before there is no instance in contemporary history where sanctions have worked and produced desired results,” Mr Lavrov said in reference to UN sanctions slapped on Iraq.