Off the wire
• Roundup: Afghan battle kills 35 militants in 2 days: officials say  • Italian author Umberto Eco dies at 84  • CAMERON SAYS UK TO HOLD EU REFERENDUM ON JUNE 23: REPORTS  • Urgent: Gunfight erupts between militants, soldiers in Indian-controlled Kashmir  • 2nd LD Writethru: India, Nepal ink MoUs on power, transit, transport cooperation  • Weather forecast for world cities -- Feb. 20  • Weather forecast for major Chinese cities, regions -- Feb. 20  • Egypt's Sisi opens Africa forum to boost economic cooperation  • No room for slip-ups as Atletico and Real keep up Barca chase  • Al-Qaida gunmen captures third southern town in Yemen  
You are here: 　 Home

Iran censures Turkey's no-fly zone plan for Syria: official

Xinhua, February 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

Turkey's initiative for the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Syria is "a repetition of mistakes" raised by the West in the past, a senior Iranian official was quoted as saying by Tasnim news agency Saturday.

"The solution to the Syrian crisis, which has negatively affected regional security, is merely political," Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said.

"Undoubtedly, renewal of the idea of a no-fly zone (over Syria) will not provide any help for regional security and stability," he said.

Ankara has renewed calls for setting up a no-fly zone and a safe zone for rebels and refugees in the north of Syria as the hopes to stop the five-year-old conflict in its Arab neighbor dims more than ever.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip on Wednesday that a no-fly would have prevented Russia's air campaign in the region and thwarted thousands of civilian deaths.

The proposal does not have the backing of most NATO allies. Only Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that a kind of no-fly zone from Aleppo to Turkish border can be good to protect civilians. Endit