TEHRAN/DOHA: Iran has demanded that Qatar release three Iranian pilots it claims were captured after their fighter jets crashed during the Middle East war, while Doha has categorically denied detaining any Iranian pilots.
General Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces said three Iranian pilots were allegedly captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the conflict. According to Fars news agency, Bagherzadeh identified the pilots as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behraveshian.
In a letter addressed to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Bagherzadeh claimed that the three pilots had been held by Qatari forces for six months. He called for their immediate release and alleged that they had not been permitted to meet or communicate with their families.
Qatar has rejected the Iranian allegations. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on X that Doha “categorically” denied claims that Iranian pilots were being detained and expressed surprise over what he described as misleading statements.
Al Ansari said Qatari rescue teams had carried out their search-and-rescue duties fully following the aircraft crashes. He added that Qatar had communicated with Iran regarding the transfer of the remains of one pilot whose body was recovered during the search operation.
According to the Qatari spokesman, Doha also invited an Iranian team to visit Qatar in April to receive information about the search-and-rescue operation and its findings. He said the Iranian side had not responded to that invitation.
Iran Retrieves Pilot’s Body
The dispute comes after Iran’s military announced last month that it had recovered the body of pilot Majid Kazemi, who was killed during an attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in early March.
Al Udeid is a major US military installation that hosts forward elements of US Central Command (CENTCOM), including air force and special operations components. It is considered the largest US military base in the region.
Qatar’s Defence Ministry said in early March that its forces had shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft. However, it remained unclear whether those aircraft were the same ones involved in the incident surrounding the Iranian pilots now claimed by Tehran.
The reported shoot-down was significant because it marked the first time during the conflict that a Gulf state had publicly reported downing an Iranian aircraft.
Conflict and Diplomatic Efforts
The aircraft incident occurred amid a broader regional conflict that began on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes. Countries across the region subsequently faced retaliatory attacks as tensions between Iran, the United States and its allies escalated.
Diplomatic efforts eventually resulted in an April ceasefire, bringing nearly 40 days of fighting to an end. A framework for peace talks was later signed in June, but the diplomatic process subsequently collapsed.
Since then, Iran and the United States have continued to exchange fire intermittently, with fighting concentrated mainly in southern Iran and areas surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar was also targeted after the ceasefire broke down, reporting attacks on its territory as well as an incident involving at least one Qatari tanker travelling through the strategically important waterway.
Despite coming under attack, Qatar continued efforts to mediate an end to the conflict, working alongside Pakistan during the initial stages of the diplomatic process.
Fighting between Iran and the United States has remained relatively limited since late July, although sporadic incidents involving vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz have continued.
The latest dispute over the Iranian pilots adds another sensitive issue to already strained relations between Tehran and Doha. While Iran is demanding answers and the release of the three pilots it says remain in Qatari custody, Qatar insists that no Iranian pilots are being detained and maintains that its forces conducted search-and-rescue operations after the aircraft crashes.
The conflicting claims have added further uncertainty to the circumstances surrounding the Iranian aircraft incidents and the fate of the pilots reportedly missing since the early stages of the war.
