Iran has accused Qatar of holding three Iranian military pilots who survived after their aircraft were shot down in March, but Doha has firmly rejected the allegation.
The dispute emerged after Gen. Seyed Mohammad Bagherzadeh, who heads an Iranian armed forces committee responsible for tracing missing personnel, sent a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross detailing Tehran’s version of events.
According to Bagherzadeh, the three pilots were flying Su-24 aircraft during an operation on March 2, shortly after the outbreak of the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, when their jets were struck by defensive fire.
He said the pilots ejected safely and survived, but alleged they were subsequently taken into custody by Qatari authorities.
Iran identified the missing airmen as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behraveshian.
A fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was killed, according to the Iranian account.
Qatar Denies Holding Iranian Airmen
Qatar has rejected Iran’s accusation.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said the country was not holding the Iranian pilots and described the claims as misleading.
He also expressed surprise at the timing of the allegation, particularly as diplomatic efforts continue to reduce tensions across the region.
Qatar had previously acknowledged that its air force shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft after they entered Qatari airspace in early March.
However, Doha disputes Iran’s claim that surviving pilots were captured afterward.
Doha Says Jets Violated Qatari Airspace
According to al-Ansari, Qatari authorities attempted to establish contact with the Iranian pilots after the aircraft entered the country’s airspace.
He said the pilots did not respond to communication attempts and that Qatar subsequently acted in accordance with its rules of engagement and international law to defend its territory.
The incident took place during a highly volatile period in the region as fighting between Iran and the U.S.-Israeli side intensified.
Qatar is a close American ally and hosts a major U.S. military base, making any Iranian military activity near its territory particularly sensitive.
Search Teams Looked for Pilots
Qatar said search-and-rescue teams were deployed after the aircraft were brought down.
According to al-Ansari, the teams recovered the remains of one pilot and later communicated with Iranian authorities regarding their return.
That pilot is believed to have been Majid Kazemi.
Qatar also said it invited an Iranian delegation to visit in April so officials could review details of the search-and-rescue effort.
According to Doha, Iran had not yet responded to that invitation.
Iran Calls on Red Cross to Intervene
Bagherzadeh’s letter provided the clearest public explanation so far of what Iranian authorities believe happened to the three missing pilots.
Before the letter was released, Tehran had said their whereabouts were unknown.
Bagherzadeh alleged that the men had not been allowed to communicate with their relatives or with Iranian officials responsible for their cases.
He called on the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate their condition, seek access to them and help secure their release.
The Red Cross had not publicly commented on the claims at the time of the report.
Conflicting Accounts Deepen Regional Tensions
The dispute adds another diplomatic complication to an already tense regional environment.
Iran maintains that its pilots survived and are being detained by Qatar, while Doha insists it has no such prisoners and says its forces acted only after Iranian aircraft entered Qatari airspace without responding to warnings.
Without independent confirmation of the pilots’ whereabouts, the two governments remain sharply divided over what happened after the jets were shot down.
The disagreement may also complicate efforts to ease tensions between Iran and Gulf states at a time when regional governments are attempting to prevent further escalation.
For now, the fate of the three Iranian pilots remains unresolved, with Tehran pressing for outside intervention and Qatar rejecting the central allegation that it is holding them.
