Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani says history has shown that sanctions against Iran are 'counterproductive'.

The prime minister made the remark in a joint press conference with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Tuesday.

"We believe that we need direct dialogue: If there is a problem between the UN and Iran then they must talk. If it is between the US and Iran then they must talk about it to come to a peaceful solution," he said.

Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed frustration about what she called the lack of headway concerning Iran's nuclear issue.

“We would welcome it a lot if we could make progress here,” said Merkel, whose country has enjoyed long economic and commercial ties with Iran for decades.

MJ/DT