Summary The dispute centers on an incident during Iran’s attacks on a military base in Qatar amid a broader regional conflict. Tehran said two Su-24 fighter jets were hit by air defenses during the operation.
DOHA (Dunya News) - Qatar on Saturday rejected Iran’s claim that three Iranian fighter pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their aircraft went down during attacks on the country in March, calling the allegation misleading.
Majed Al Ansari, adviser to Qatar’s prime minister and spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry, said Doha “categorically” denied the claim and questioned why it was being raised now as diplomatic efforts continue to ease regional tensions.
Al Ansari said Qatari authorities established contact with the Iranian pilots after they violated Qatar’s airspace and the trajectory of the incoming attack had been confirmed.
He said Qatari forces followed established rules of engagement and attempted unsuccessfully to communicate with the pilots before taking measures to defend Qatari territory in accordance with international law.
The incident, he added, had already been addressed through official channels at the time.
According to Al Ansari, Qatar’s search-and-rescue teams later conducted operations to locate the pilots’ remains. The remains of one pilot were recovered, and Doha coordinated with Tehran on their handover in accordance with international humanitarian law.
Qatar also invited an Iranian team in April to review and receive a briefing on the search-and-rescue operation, but Tehran has not responded to the invitation, he said.
Iran’s claim came from Mohammad Bagherzadeh, head of the Missing Persons Search Committee of Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff. In a letter to International Committee of the Red Cross President Mirjana Spoljaric, Bagherzadeh alleged that three pilots had been captured alive after two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets were shot down during attacks on a military base in Qatar on March 2.
Bagherzadeh said pilot Majid Kazemi was killed, while Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behrouzian were captured.
He accused Qatar of violating the pilots’ rights under the Geneva Conventions by preventing contact with their families and Iranian officials despite diplomatic efforts over several months.
Iran’s Missing Persons Search Committee called on the ICRC to determine whether the three pilots were being held in Qatar, provide Tehran with information about their condition and help secure their release.
The dispute centers on an incident during Iran’s attacks on a military base in Qatar amid a broader regional conflict. Tehran said two Su-24 fighter jets were hit by air defenses during the operation.
Qatar has maintained a different account, saying its forces took defensive action after the aircraft entered its airspace and that subsequent search efforts recovered the remains of one pilot, with no evidence presented that the other alleged pilots were captured alive.
