special envoy to syria stefan de mistura. he was quoted as saying tehran will not allow it to negatively affect efforts to end the crisis. he reportedly said iran has an important role to play. the meeting was held amid rising tensions between iran and saudi arabia. many nations are worried about the recent break in diplomatic ties between the two countries. iran supports the government of syrian-led bashir al assad. saudi arabia is lending help to anti-government forces. saudi foreign minister jubeir met de mistra last week. a tension is now focused on whether iran and saudi arabia can work together to that end. >>> the egyptian parliament has held its first formal session since the military took power in 2013. members who support president abdel fattah al sisi have a majority. groups are worried the government may become more authoritarian. legislators elected constitutional expert ali abdelaal as speaker, belonging to a group of lawmakers who support sisi. parliament has 13 days to decide whether to approve some laws by de

representative special envoy stefan de-mistura will be convening people in an appropriate man or for the proximity talks >>> and now our diplomatic editor james bays in london. >> the talks were due to start on monday. it's certain that was not going to happen. the best we could get on monday is a news conference. and the fact that the envoy could send out the invitations. the controversial thing behind the scenes is who will make up the opposition. john kerry hags been in riyadh meeting his saudi counterpart. moscow had problems with the list, and we understand mr kerry has been speaking by telephone to his russian counterpart. it will be up to the opposition to decide whether to the basis of the list agreed from the international community. i know they'll come under pressure. they'll be told in the syrian government is there and you are not there, it will like like the opposition doesn't want peace. it's more likely than not that some talks will take place later in the week. initially i'm told they'll bell proximity talks. the opposition in one room, and the syrian government in th

when he spoke to reporters, stefan de mistura said he couldn't confirm the news until he got a written confirmation, from the high negotiating committee, but he had heard good signs. >> they raised important points of their concerns. they'd would like to see addressed from the government authorities regarding some type of improvement for the people in syria during the talks. for instance, really, the lifting of some matters. >> reporter: members of the high negotiating committee have told al jazeera that they have been in touch with the u.n., u.s. and russia, who have given them reassurances that some of their concerns will be addressed, particularly with regard to the humanitarian situation, that's why they are coming to geneva, they are prepared to meet the special envoy, mr de mistura, but will wait for some time to make sure that everything they have been promised is in place before they take part in negotiations >>> you were hearing that the main syrian opposition group, the high negotiations committee didn't turn up the first day of talks. it says that it will travel to switzerla

time there were talks in geneva, and we see military initiative days before the talks start, stefan de-mistura, the u.n. envoy said that one of the first things on the agenda is trying to get ceasefires in place, and places in syria, as well as humanitarian access. >> when the various parties, and in this case the syrian government hearse a ceasefire is coming soon. they clearly try to make military gains before that ceasefire, because they know that once there's a ceasefire, the military situation will be frozen. what you see on the ground in syria, and in particular in the last few hours. is linked to the fact that there is prospects of the talks at the end of the week starting in geneva. >> that was james bays reporting. iranian president met with the pope. they talked about the middle east, fighting terrorist. arms trafficking and interreligious dialogue. it was the first meeting since 1999. italy is hassan rouhani's first stop on the tour. aimed at securing international investment in iran after years of sanctions. sop far hassan rouhani signed trade deals worth $18 billion. coming up nex

representative, special envoy stefan de-mistura will convene people in an appropriate manner for the pros. >>y talks. >> the -- proximity talks. >> the work we are doing is to bring stability in the region, and much is to push back iran's efforts in the region >>> kerry expressing confidence that the talks will take place, do we know when and who will take part? >> these talks are set for the 25th of january. check your calendar. that is 24 hours from now. i think it's certain that they are not going to start on time. what we may get on monday in geneva at a news conference planned by the u.n. envoy is news on whether he actually issued the invitations. the problem with the invitation is who to invite from the position. clearly john kerry had chats with the sunnis about this, and they have been trying to drew up an opposition list and has been on the phone to counterparts who had reservations about the list. it may be that the international community had decided on who should come from the opposition, and they are not clear if the opposition will attend. i think in the end it will lo

and they may well meet stefan de mistura, the u.n. special envoy. it's getting late now on saturday, more likely that meeting will take place in geneva on sunday. >> the delegation, of course, hasn't committed to any talks whatsoever, but how relieved do you think the u.n. is that they are actually talking in switzerland at long last? >> reporter: well, i think the u.n. wants to get this process going. it doesn't want to hurry anything because it knows how delicate things are and, in fact, another bit of the piece that makes it a little bit more delicate even now is what you have just reported, about the situation regarding turkey and russia, two of the international and regional countries involved in response oring this process. we have already known that their relations are difficult. so that's another complications, not i don't think a major complication to this process. they'll take it slowly. they'll know that the opposition team that has come which we believe are 17 people, are not yet here to negotiate. here clearly here to state their case a

envoy stefan de mistura at an undisclosed location. the you were not confirming that meeting.understand the opposition delegation will for the first time be going to the u.n. headquarters on monday for a meeting there. another meeting with mr. de mistura. they still say that that meeting that will take place on monday, is another meeting to explain their concerns and clarify their position and that they are not negotiating. but i can tell you, david, it's beginning to feel, given that mr. ma stew a wil dee that de me proximity talks are happening anyway. it's like regular meetings a bit of a fudge by the opposition. one opposition member telling us privately, that they feel they really must be delivered something soon because they can't keep this, we are not negotiating while they are having meetings, this situation going on for much longer. >> james, we'll leave it there, thank you. james bays in geneva. away from switzerland in sear i can't ya itself, there have been a number of explosions, at least 50 people were killed in the capital damascus, paul brennan has more on that