French President Francois Hollande(R) and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani attend a joint press conference at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, Jan 28, 2016. [Photo/Xinhua]

PARIS - French President Francois Hollande on Thursday said it was possible to negotiate a political transition in Syria despite possible delays in talks aimed at ending the civil war in the conflict-torn Arab country.

At a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Hassan Rouhani, Hollande stressed Tehran's role in "promoting talks over a political transition in Syria."

Political negotiations have been slow to unfold, he said, adding the Geneva talks originally scheduled for Jan 25 have been postponed to Friday, with possibilities for further delays.

The UN-brokered Geneva talks between rival Syrian factions are likely to be delayed after the Syrian opposition on Thursday set an end to air strikes and blockades in Syrian cities as conditions to join the negotiating table.