"We were informed by our team in Damascus that basically there has been a permission, an approval... By the government of Syria for all 19 besieged areas," the United Nations envoy to the war-racked country, Staffan de Mistura, told reporters.
He stressed that Syria has given such approvals in the past before ultimately blocking convoys from distributing life-saving supplies.
He made the comments after the weekly meeting of the Syria humanitarian taskforce, co-chaired by the United States and Russia, which has for months been trying to boost aid supplies to millions of Syrians in need.
De Mistura insisted there had been no "backtracking" on air drops and that they "are still an option."
More From This Section
He indicated that the pressure placed on Damascus by the prospect of air drops had led to the road convoy approvals and voiced hope that a surge of aid deliveries in the coming weeks would make dangerous and costly air drops unnecessary.
"The proof is in facts, concrete facts, and that means deliveries," he said.
De Mistura also said there appeared to be some progress on the release of detainees held by the regime, but provided few details.
"We did get the information today from one main source, but we would like to have more information, that some substantial number of (rebel) fighters appear to have been released," de Mistura said.
"We are waiting for those details," he told reporters.
The Syrian opposition has pressed the detainee question during peace talks, insisting those held by the government needed to be released in order for negotiations to move forward.