US has had direct contact with Syrian rebel group, Antony Blinken says

Blinken also affirmed that the US is committed to finding home Austin Tice, an American journalist who has been missing in Syria since 2012.

"We've been in contact with HTS and with other parties. We have impressed upon everyone we've been in contact with the importance of helping find Austin Tice and bringing him home," he told reporters in Jordan.

"We've also shared the principles that I just laid out for our ongoing support - principles, again, that have now been adopted by countries throughout the region and well beyond. And we've communicated those," Blinken added.