Iran demands the release of three pilots detained by Qatar

Tehran has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene to secure the release of three Iranian airmen it claims were captured by Qatar six months ago. Doha categorically denies these accusations.

In a letter addressed to Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Iranian Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh demanded the release of three pilots he claims are being held by Qatar: Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian, and Imran Behroshian. The three men were allegedly captured after ejecting from their aircraft during a combat mission against a Qatari military base on March 2, 2026, the third day of the conflict between the United States and Iran.

A fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was killed during the same operation. General Bagherzadeh stated that his remains have since been returned to Iran. Two Su-24 fighter jets were involved in the mission before being shot down by Qatari air defenses.

In his letter, published by Iranian media, the general accuses Qatar of violating "the inalienable rights of these prisoners, contrary to all international laws and regulations." He also claims that the three pilots have not been allowed to contact their families since their capture.

Doha firmly rejected these allegations. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Mohammed Al Ansari called the statements "misleading" and indicated that his country had indeed established contact with the pilots "after they violated Qatari airspace," without receiving a response. "The necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law," he stated in a press release published on X.

Al Ansari added that Qatari search and rescue teams had "completed their mission to the fullest extent possible" in locating the pilots. Qatar says it has contacted Iran to coordinate the return of the remains of one of the recovered pilots, and claims that Tehran has not yet responded to an invitation to review the details of the search operation.