The first talks bringing together all foreign powers backing rival sides in Syria's civil war have opened.
The meeting in Vienna will seek to close the gap between the US and its allies, who support the rebels, and the key foreign allies of the Syrian government, Russia and Iran.
It is the first time Iran has been involved in the diplomacy.
Meanwhile, activists in Syria say a bombardment by government forces killed at least 40 people near Damascus.
Footage uploaded to the internet - which cannot be independently verified - showed bodies strewn across the ruins of a marketplace in the rebel-held suburb of Douma.
Douma is often targeted by the government, and rebels fire rockets from there into Damascus.
The four-year-old war in Syria, which began with an uprising against Mr Assad, has left 250,000 people dead and forced half the country's population - or 11 million people - from their homes.
Russia and Iran have recently stepped up their military involvement in the conflict, backing forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The US, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab nations have long insisted that he cannot play a long-term role in Syria's future.
"He will go either through a political process or he will be removed by force," Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told the BBC ahead of the talks.
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that other powers had realised that there was no way reaching "a reasonable solution" to the Syrian conflict without involving Tehran.
Neither the Syrian government nor the opposition are at the talks, although Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said Russia had supported the Free Syria Army being involved in peace talks.
Where key players stand on Assad
US: Assad must go, but does not need to happen before a political transition process get under way
Saudi Arabia: Assad must go "within a specific timeframe" and before any elections for a new government
Turkey: Assad must go, though could remain for a "symbolic" six months
SNC (main Western- and Gulf Arab-backed anti-Assad opposition): Assad must go, cannot be part of any political process
Russia: Assad should not be forced to go, Syrians should hold elections to decide who rules them
Iran: Assad should not step down, Syrians should decide their own political future
If not Assad, then who?
Before the start of substantive discussions on Friday, US Secretary of State John Kerry met Mr Zarif as well as the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, and the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Foreign ministers from the UK, France, Germany, Egypt, Lebanon and the EU are also attending, as well as representatives of Iraq, Qatar, Oman, the UAE, Jordan and China.
A Western diplomat called the Vienna talks "embryonic", while another said that simply keeping opposing sides from walking out would count as success.
BBC
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