Iran urges restraint over downing of Turkish plane

(Reuters) - Iranian foreign minister Ali Akbar Salehi urged Turkey and Syria late on Saturday to show restraint following Syria's downing of a Turkish warplane, his ministry said.

In a telephone conversation with Turkish foreign minister Ahmed Davutoglu, Salehi said he hoped the two sides would "settle the issue peacefully to maintain regional stability," read a statement on the Iranian foreign ministry's website.

Iran has supported Syrian president Bashar al-Assad since anti-government protests erupted across the country early last year and grew into an armed uprising.

Syria shot down a Turkish plane over the Mediterranean on Friday. According to a Syrian military account, the aircraft was flying fast and low, just one kilometer off the Syrian coast when it was hit.

Signals from both sides suggest neither want a military confrontation over the incident and the countries have started a joint search for the missing airmen.