RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait invited Iran on Wednesday to hold negotiations to determine the eastern limit of a joint, energy-rich, offshore area, the Saudi state-news agency SPA reported.

The two Gulf Arab monarchies reaffirmed their right to develop the Durra natural gas field, located in this area, the Saudi Press Agency added, citing a Saudi foreign ministry statement.

The Kuwaiti government said last month that Durra is “entirely a Kuwaiti and Saudi field” and that the issue to be settled with Iran is just the demarcation of the area offshore a neutral zone shared by Kuwait and Saudi Arabia lying adjacent to Iran’s maritime zone.

Iran says it has a stake in the field and considers a Saudi-Kuwaiti agreement signed last month to develop it “illegal”.