Sorry if this question was asked before but I poked through the forums and couldn't find a great answer.

I'll be in Istanbul through April 20th and have booked a tour in Iran on May 10th.

I would like to spend the intervening time travelling around Syria/Lebanon/Jordan.

1. How easy is it to get from Istabul to this region via train? Or should I fly?

I was thinking I would take the train from Istabul->Beirut then make my way to Syria and then Jordan. I'm backpacking and don't mind uncomfortable long train, bus or car rides as long as they're on a budget.

2. What's the best way to get cheap airfare in this region, especially into Tehran? A lot of the common websites I know don't really deal in this region.