Still, the minister stressed the need to name the terrorist groups that should be fought in Syria and the opposition delegation to the meeting, which is the first step of a roadmap outlined by World powers in Vienna late past year.

The U.N. special envoy had reached Damascus Friday to discuss the peace negotiations between President Bashar Assad's government and the opposition forces.

Syrian foreign minister Walid al-Moualem met with United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura in Damascus on Saturday and expressed Syria's continued commitment to taking part in peace talks scheduled for the end of January, Reuters reports.

Opposition leaders are voicing misgivings over the new effort endorsed by the U.N. Security Council, not least because it does not address Assad's future, a point of contention between states on either side of the war.

The talks are due to begin on January 25 in Geneva.

The opposition also demands that the government lifts the blockade of the rebel-controlled areas, releases the detainees and ceases the attacks with the use of barrel bombs before the parties begin negotiations. Their concerns over the diplomatic bid include the absence of any mention of Assad's fate.

"Can the global community achieve the implementation of this pre-negotiation stage in the few remaining days?"

An escalation in tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran has compounded doubts surrounding the diplomatic initiative.

The coalition said 22 of the strikes in Iraq were coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq, while one air strike was in support of coalition operations. Tensions have risen since Saudi Arabia executed prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, which ignited widespread worldwide condemnation.

Aid agencies have warned of widespread starvation in Madaya, where some 40,000 people are at risk.

"Both date and time have been set". The town has been under siege since July and the government said it will allow aid to flow inside. A second, pro-Syrian government source confirmed the details.