MOSCOW –– Russia said on Friday it regretted that Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Lebanon have not been invited to a meeting of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on Syria in Geneva on Saturday.

"The Russian proposal on this (other countries attending) has met insurmountable objections from the US side, especially on the part concerning Iran," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

It described the convening of the meeting as a positive move and hoped mechanisms would be agreed on a ceasefire and the withdrawal of troops and rebel forces from cities which could create a "favourable atmosphere" for a political transition.