BEIRUT — The U.N.’s top official on refugees pushed back against a proposed initiative that has gained recent traction to create “safe zones” in Syria for refugees, saying the country was “not the right place” for the initiative.

“Let’s not waste time planning safe zones that will not be set up because they will not be safe for people to go back,” said Filippo Grandi, the U.N. High Commissioner on Refugees.

“Let us concentrate on making peace so that everywhere becomes safe. That should be the investment,” he said.

President Trump has floated safe zones as a substitute for resettling refugees in the United States and elsewhere.