U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Iran could play a helpful role in finding a solution to the conflict in Syria even on the sidelines of peace talks in Geneva later this month.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said that Iran could play a helpful role in finding a solution to the conflict in Syria even on the sidelines of peace talks in Geneva later this month, Reuters news agency reported.

During a news conference in his visit to Occupied Palestine, Kerry held out the possibility of Iran playing a constructive role on the sidelines even if it was not a formal participant.

Tehran's participation in the peace talks would likely strengthen any agreement reached in Geneva, and Iran has said it was prepared to take part if invited.

Relations between Iran and Washington, frozen for decades, have improved sharply since the election in June of President Sheikh Hasan Rouhani who promised to pursue a policy of "constructive engagement" with the world countries.