Iran has called for the merchandise of 3 Iranian pilots it said were captured by Qatar aft 2 combatant jets were hit by aerial defences during a subject cognition astatine the commencement of the US-Iran war.
In a missive to the caput of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Iran's Brig Gen Mohammad Bagherzadeh said the pilots - Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian, and Imran Behroshian - had been held captive for six months.
He said the assemblage of a 4th pilot, Majid Kazemi, was returned aft helium was killed successful the aforesaid cognition connected 2 March 2026 - the 3rd time of the war.
Qatar "categorically denied" Iran's claims and said it was "surprised by these misleading statements".
Gen Bagherzadeh said the 3 pilots had been captured by Qatar aft they ejected from their jets during the combat ngo connected a Qatari subject base.
In the missive to ICRC main Mirjana Spoljaric, published by Iranian media, helium accused Qatar of violating "the inalienable rights of these prisoners, contrary to each planetary laws and regulations".
The missive besides claimed the 3 pilots had not been allowed to conscionable oregon interaction their families.
Qatar's overseas affairs spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari said interaction had been made with the pilots "after they violated Qatari airspace", but it did not person a response.
"The indispensable measures were taken to support our territory successful accordance with planetary law," helium added successful a connection connected X.
Al Ansari said Qatar's hunt and rescue teams "carried retired their duties to the fullest grade successful searching for the pilots' remains".
He said Qatar contacted Iran to "co-ordinate the handover of the remains of 1 of the pilots that were recovered", and that Tehran had yet to respond to an invitation to reappraisal details of the hunt and rescue operation.
English (US)·