Iran Sees Possible No-Fly Zone over Syria 'Repetition of Previous Mistakes'
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir Abdollahian denounced Turkey’s initiative for the enforcement of a no-fly zone over Syria as “a repetition of past mistakes” by the West in the Arab country.
“The solution to the Syrian crisis, which has negatively affected regional security, is merely political,” Amir Abdollahian told the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Friday.
He further censured some regional and Western countries, which are members to the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and participate in the UN-brokered peace talks on Syria but in practice, they are pursuing a military approach to Syria.
“Undoubtedly, renewing the idea of a no-fly zone [over Syria] will not provide any help for regional security and stability,” Amir Abdollahian noted.
The idea of no-fly zone was first raised by Turkey. On Wednesday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan claimed that a no-fly would have prevented Russia's air campaign in the region.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on February 17 denounced the humanitarian situation in Syria as "unacceptable" and renewed her call for a no-fly zone in the war-stricken country.
Syria has been gripped by civil war since March 2011 with various terrorist groups, including Daesh, currently controlling parts of it.
Meanwhile, Russia’s recent aerial support for the Syrian forces has given fresh impetus to the fight against the foreign-backed terrorists.
According to a new report by the Syrian Center for Policy Research, the conflict has claimed the lives of over 470,000 people, injured 1.9 million others, and displaced nearly half of the country’s pre-war population of about 23 million within or beyond its borders.