Qatar has unequivocally rejected allegations that it captured three Iranian pilots following the downing of two Su‑24 jets on March 2, 2026, the first day of the escalating U.S‑Iran war.
In a letter addressed to the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh—an Iranian military official—asserted that pilots Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian and Imran Behroshian were taken into captivity and had remained held for six months. The letter also referenced the body of a fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, who was recovered after being killed in the same engagement.
The Iranian account claims that the trio ejected from their combat jets over a Qatari base and were subsequently seized. Bagherzadeh’s letter, which has been published by Iranian media outlets, accuses Qatar of violating international humanitarian law by withholding the pilots’ release and denying them contact with their families.
Qatar’s foreign affairs spokesman, Majed Mohammed Al Ansari, issued a statement on X calling the Iranian claims “misleading”. He said that Qatar had engaged with the pilots only after their breach of Qatari airspace and that no satisfactory response was received to the envoy’s inquiries.
Al Ansari further emphasized that Qatari search and rescue teams acted in accordance with the laws of war, carrying out thorough searches for any remains. He added that Qatar had communicated with Iranian officials regarding the return of Majid Kazemi’s body, though Tehran had yet to respond to an invitation to review the operational details.
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