Iran has officially called for the release of three military pilots it claims were captured by Qatar after their fighter jets were shot down during a military operation at the start of the US-Iran war. The demand was made in a letter to the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mirjana Spoljaric.

In the letter, Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh identified the pilots as Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian, and Imran Behroshian, stating they have been held captive for six months. He also noted that the body of a fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was returned after he was killed in the same operation on March 2, 2026, the third day of the war.

General Bagherzadeh accused Qatar of violating "the inalienable rights of these prisoners, contrary to all international laws and regulations." The letter also claimed that the pilots have not been allowed to meet or contact their families, which Iran considers a grave breach of humanitarian law.

Qatar has "categorically denied" Iran's claims. Foreign affairs spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari said contact was made with the pilots "after they violated Qatari airspace," but no response was received. He added that "the necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law."

Al Ansari stated that Qatar's search and rescue teams "carried out their duties to the fullest extent in searching for the pilots' remains." He also mentioned that Qatar contacted Iran to coordinate the handover of the remains of one pilot, but Tehran has yet to respond to an invitation to review the details of the search and rescue operation.

The incident adds to the escalating tensions in the region amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict. Iran insists the pilots were unlawfully captured and demands their immediate release, while Qatar maintains it acted within legal bounds to protect its sovereignty.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk