The Guardian online this morning says that Iran is dragging its feet over a new round of talks with the P5+1 powers (United States, UK, France, China, Russia and Germany), tasked with leading international efforts to resolve concerns over Tehran’s nuclear programme. The article quotes the spokesman for European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, saying that Iran has yet to respond to suggested dates and venue for further talks.

The Independent and its sister publication Independent i both report that Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi met separately yesterday in Cairo with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas political bureau director Khaled Mashaal, in an attempt to broker a reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, the two major Palestinian factions. The two have been at odds since Hamas violently took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, ending a short-lived unity government.

The Telegraph this morning reports that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken his election campaign to West Bank settlements, speculating that it is an attempt to stem the apparent slide in support for his Likud-Beitenu list in favour of right-wing rival Jewish Home. The article reports that during a tour of the area, Netanyahu did not confine himself to visiting major West Bank settlement blocs such as Ariel, but also visited the isolated outpost of Rechelim in an apparent appeal to ideological settlers.

Meanwhile, both the Times and Financial Times report that a prisoner exchange has taken place in Syria, brokered largely by Turkish and Qatari officials. The deal saw President Assad’s regime release around 2,000 Syrian civilians in exchange for 48 Iranian nationals, who were captured by opposition fighters in August on suspicion of being members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard sent to fight on behalf of the Assad regime. Iran denied the allegations although Tehran is widely regarded as Assad’s closest ally. In an interview with the BBC, the United Nations and Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi said that “there is no political solution at the moment” to the violent Syrian conflict and that the Assad family had ruled Syria “a little bit too long.” The Times includes a feature on the squalid conditions endured by displaced Syrians who have fled fighting to remote camps in Syria and are unable to leave the country.

In the Israeli media this morning, front page headlines are devoted to the continuing inclement weather conditions which are producing heavy flooding across Israel while snow fall in Jerusalem and other areas is causing widespread disruption to travel networks. Israel Hayom focuses on the destruction caused by floods, Makor Rishon speculates that the storm will peak this morning while Maariv reports that farmers are demanding that the situation should be recognised as a ‘national disaster.’

Meanwhile, Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid held a press conference yesterday evening, in which he said that equalising the country’s military draft by enlisting more ultra-Orthodox youth would be a pre-condition for his party joining a coalition government. Lapid’s position effectively hands Prime Minister Netanyahu a choice between recruiting Yesh Atid or ultra-Orthodox parties including Shas, should he be asked to form the next government. The story features prominently in Israel Hayom, Haaretz and Maariv.

Israel Radio News reports this morning on two significant meetings which took place yesterday. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met directly last night with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Cairo. It was their first meeting in almost a year in an attempt to further reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. Meanwhile, Israel’s Defence Minister Ehud Barak met with his American counterpart Leon Panetta in Washington. The Pentagon said that they discussed various regional issues and were committed to continued cooperation on such matters.