DUSHANBE, October 30, Asia-Plus -- Talks among international foreign ministers on ending the Syrian conflict began in Vienna yesterday.

Iran is taking part for the first time in such a meeting on the four-and-a-half year war, along with Russia.

Both Moscow and Tehran insists that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be part of any transition government, while the United States and its Western and Gulf allies want the Syrian leader to step aside.

On October 29, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif held separates meetings with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Kerry later met with Lavrov and the foreign ministers of Turkey and Saudi Arabia ahead of multilateral talks on October 30.

Reuters reports that throughout four years of war that has killed 250,000 people and driven more than 10 million from their homes, Assad''s main ally Tehran was locked out of a succession of international peace conferences, all of which ended in failure.

But four weeks after Russia began bombing Assad''s enemies on the ground, the countries that demand he leave office, including the United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia, have reportedly agreed to give Iran a seat at the negotiating table.

According to Reuters , Iran''s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on his arrival in Vienna on Thursday that "those who tried to resolve the Syrian crisis have come to the conclusion that without Iran being present, there is no way to reach a reasonable solution to the crisis.”

The United States and its European and Middle Eastern allies have demanded Assad agree to leave power as part of any peace deal. He refuses to go, and Russia and Iran have consistently rejected any such demands.

Russia''s 4-week-old air campaign on Assad''s behalf, which has been accompanied by an Iranian-backed ground offensive, makes the prospect that Assad''s insurgent foes can force him out of power on the battlefield look more remote than ever. Some Western officials have spoken lately of temporary arrangements under which Assad could remain for a certain period.

Western officials have played down hopes for progress at this week''s talks, while nevertheless suggesting that the meeting provides an opportunity to test whether there is flexibility in the Iranian and Russian positions, Reuters said.