Can Kerry persuade the Syrian National Coalition to attend Geneva II?

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is not taking no for an answer this week.

He’s told leaders of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) that if they don’t attend peace talks in Montreux, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, the U.S. could pull its support.

"I am counting on both parties (the regime and the opposition) as well as the 30-plus or so other nations to come together in an effort to end this violence," said Kerry.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government has said it will attend the Geneva II peace conference. But factions within the opposition are still arguing over whether they should engage with the regime.

The SNC is the main Western-backed Syrian opposition group, representing the country's anti-Assad coalition on the international stage.

The whole coalition is made up of various organizations united against the state, including the Free Syrian Army, jihadists and Islamists from neighboring countries, and Kurdish groups.

Recently, there’s been fierce infighting between the groups, primarily targeting the Al-Qaeda-linked Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, also known as ISIL. More than 700 people have died in the past 10 days from the conflict.

Kerry mentioned the infighting on Monday.

“If disorder is allowed to continue to grow, it is extremists who will benefit," he said. "And it is all of the people who want a peaceful solution and stability who will lose. That includes Russia, the United States and others in the region."

Earlier this week, Kerry and 10 other global envoys met in Paris over the Syria situation.

With Moscow supporting Assad and Washington backing the opposition coalition, Kerry sat down with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to negotiate how their countries could encourage steps forward. 

They agreed on three possible “confidence-building measures” to present to each side: access for humanitarian aid to reach neighborhoods trapped by fighting, prisoner exchanges, and a regional cease-fire.

One issue the U.S. and Russia remain divided on is Iran’s role in the peace talks.

As a staunch ally and weapon supplier to Assad, Iran is a key influence in Syria's war.

Iran has said it would like to attend.

"As far as my tickets to Geneva, I'm always ready to go ... We are prepared to participate actively and positively in finding any peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis," said Mohammad Javad Zarif, Iran's foreign minister, on Monday.

Russia says the Iranian delegation should be present in Geneva. But the U.S. says no invitation will be sent until Iran accepts the resolutions made in the Geneva I talks of June 2012. 

In the Geneva I agreement, there is a clause that states the Syrian transitional government "shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent." Assad's allies see this as a way to potentially force the current government to step down. 

Concurrently, the dynamics of the renewed U.S. and Iranian relationship are still evolving on other issues, too.  

On Sunday, Iran and six world powers agreed on a six-month timeline for the implementation of a long-term nuclear agreement.

"If Iran is willing to walk through the door of opportunity that's presented to them, then I have no doubt it can open extraordinary opportunities for Iran and their people," said President Barack Obama on Monday.

The agreement will open Iran’s nuclear program to daily inspections by international experts in exchange for easing of sanctions that are crippling the Iranian economy.

"The Geneva agreement means the wall of sanctions has been broken — the unfair sanctions were imposed on the revered and peace-loving Iranian nation," said Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Next on Kerry’s tour is Kuwait City. There he will attend a donor conference, focusing again on the crisis in Syria.

The U.N. appealed for $6.5 billion in donations last month — the largest request ever for a single crisis.

Since the beginning of Syria’s conflict in 2011, an estimated 130,000 people have died from the fighting. Nearly 9 million more have been displaced.

Can Kerry persuade the Syrian National Coalition to attend Geneva II?

And if so, what will it mean to the opposition movement's future?

Will Iran be present at the talks?

What kind of difference would Iran's attendance make?

We consulted a panel of experts for the Inside Story.

The above panel was assembled for the broadcast of "Inside Story" to discuss.

For future hard-hitting conversations, find Al Jazeera America on your TV.