TEL AVIV (Reuters) – The United States on Friday called into question the credibility of Iran’s presidential election next month, criticizing the disqualification of candidates and accusing Tehran of disrupting Internet access.

On a visit to Israel, Secretary of State John Kerry also warned that time was running out to resolve the deadlock over Iran’s contested nuclear program.

TEL AVIV (Reuters) – Israeli and Palestinian leaders must decide soon on whether to revive long-dormant peace negotiations to end their decades-old conflict, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday.

Ending two days of meetings in the region, Kerry said he had had “very productive” talks. But there were no obvious signs of any breakthrough, with neither side offering the sort of compromises needed to end a three-year stalemate.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday and acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace negotiations.

There were no signs of any breakthrough as Kerry visited Israel for the fourth time in his four months in office to try to revive a peace process that has been moribund for more than two years.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Secretary of State John Kerry began a round of separate talks with Israeli and Palestinian officials on Thursday but acknowledged there was considerable skepticism that the two sides would resume peace negotiations.

Kerry has now visited Israel four times in his four months in office to try to restart peace talks.

AMMAN (Reuters) – Washington threatened on Wednesday to increase support for Syria’s rebels if President Bashar al-Assad refuses to discuss a political end to a civil war that is spreading across borders.

Rebels called for reinforcements to combat an “invasion” by Hezbollah and its Iranian backers, days after Assad’s forces launched an offensive against a strategic town that could prove to be a turning point in the war.

AMMAN/BEIRUT (Reuters) – The United States and its allies are ready to increase support for Syria’s rebels if President Bashar al-Assad refuses to discuss a political solution to his country’s civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.

Rebels called for reinforcements to combat President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, which have launched an offensive in recent days against a strategic town backed by Assad’s allies from Lebanon’s powerful Shi’ite militia Hezbollah.

AMMAN (Reuters) – Western governments are ready to increase support to opponents of President Bashar al-Assad if he rejects a political solution to Syria’s civil war, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday.

Kerry said recent military gains by Assad’s forces were only temporary and that if the Syrian leader believed that the counter-offensives against the rebels would be decisive, “then he is miscalculating”.

MUSCAT (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flew to Oman on Tuesday for Raytheon Co’s signing of an estimated $2.1 billion (1.3 billion pounds) arms deal and to consult on Syria and Iran, U.S. officials said.

Oman is expected to sign a letter of intent to purchase a ground-based air defence system that would help protect against cruise missile, drone or fighter aircraft attacks, a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters aboard Kerry’s plane.

SHANNON, Ireland (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry flies to Oman on Tuesday for Raytheon Co’s signing of an estimated $2.1 billion arms deal and to consult on Syria and Iran, U.S. officials said.

Oman is expected to sign a letter of intent to purchase a ground-based air defense system that would help protect against cruise missile or drone attacks, a senior U.S. State Department official told reporters aboard Kerry’s plane.

ROME/MOSCOW (Reuters) – If Russia has decided to make a new diplomatic push to drag Syria’s warring parties into peace talks, it may be because of signs that the United States could slowly get sucked into the conflict.

The two major powers’ joint announcement that they would try to bring together representatives of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the rebel forces fighting to oust him represents their first serious diplomatic initiative in nearly a year.