"We are in constant communication with Turkey and every stakeholder involved," the official told Reuters, adding that the kingdom was not aware of Assad's whereabouts. His failure to re-engage several regional actors and the opposition was to blame for his ...

But there is no panic, three Iranian officials told Reuters, as Tehran seeks diplomatic avenues to establish contact with people whom one of the officials called "those within Syria's new ruling groups whose views are closer to Iran's".

Assad, has begun a direct dialogue with representatives of the new ruling coalition in Damascus, Reuters reports. According to the agency's high-ranking sources, Tehran is trying to avoid isolation from the new Syrian government and maintain its influence in the region.