Qatar has categorically denied Iran's accusations that it is holding three Iranian pilots captive for the past six months, following the downing of two fighter jets during a military operation at the outset of a US-Iran war.
Iran's Brig Gen Mohammad Bagherzadeh stated in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) that the pilots—Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian, and Imran Behroshian—were captured by Qatar after ejecting from their aircraft during combat over a Qatari military base. The body of a fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was reportedly returned after he was killed in the same operation on March 2, 2026, the third day of the war.
Gen. Bagherzadeh accused Qatar of violating international laws and regulations by holding the pilots and denying them contact with their families. He stated the pilots were captured by Qatar after they ejected from their jets during the mission.
Qatar's foreign affairs spokesperson, Majed Mohammed Al Ansari, expressed surprise at the claims, calling them "misleading statements." Al Ansari confirmed that Qatar made contact with the pilots "after they violated Qatari airspace" but received no response. He added that necessary measures were taken to defend Qatari territory in accordance with international law and that search and rescue teams had fulfilled their duties in locating the pilots' remains. Qatar also stated it had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover of recovered remains and invited Tehran to review details of the operation, but had yet to receive a response.