- The White House confirmed that President Obama will travel to Saudi Arabia in March.
- Hillary Clinton announces her opposition to new Iran sanctions in a Jan. 26 letter (.pdf) to Sen. Carl Levin.
- Some 70 House Democrats reportedly sign a letter favoring diplomacy with Iran.
- Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif called the Holocaust a "horrifying tragedy" that "should never occur again" in an interview with Germany’s Phoenix TV.
- In a shift, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon sat in the front row during Zarif’s panel at the Munich Security Conference Sunday. (photo top right).
- Iran Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced that Iran will host a conference on Syrian humanitarian assistance involving Swiss, Syrian and Iranian officials in Tehran. Last week, Amir-Abdollahian denied an Al Jazeera report that Iranian officials were meeting in Bern with the Syrian sides.
- Turkish President Abdullah Gul shows daylight with PM Erdogan on Syria policy.
- GOP Senators say John Kerry expressed frustration with Russia slow-rolling US on Syria.
- Iran’s top clergy backs Hassan Rouhani’s nuclear diplomacy.
Roundup: Obama to Riyadh, Israel DM in front row for Zarif talk
![U.S. President Barack Obama (L) and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah (C) meet during their meeting at the king's farm outside Riyadh June 3, 2009. REUTERS/Larry Downing (SAUDI ARABIA POLITICS ROYALS) - RTR248CQ](/sites/default/files/styles/article_header/public/almpics/old%20backchannel/RTR248CQ.jpg/RTR248CQ.jpg?h=f7822858&itok=lwGCz4mL)
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