REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, TEHRAN -- 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.
U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday spoke to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan by telephone about the situation in Syria.
"President Obama expressed concern about recent Syrian regime advances in northwest Syria and urgently called for a halt to actions that heighten tensions with Turkey and with moderate opposition forces in northern Syria," White House said in a press release.
Obama also stressed that the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) forces should not seek to exploit circumstances in this area to seize additional territory, according to the statement.
He also "urged Turkey to show reciprocal restraint by ceasing artillery strikes in the area."
In addition, Obama underscored the "collective efforts in northern Syria to degrade and defeat" the Islamic State.
Obama also offered his condolences for the Feb. 17 terrorist attack in Turkish capital Ankara and Feb. 18 terrorist attack against a Turkish military convoy in the country's southeastern Diyarbakir Province.
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