A remarkable claim came from Iran against Qatar. In the official letter he sent to the President of the International Red Cross Committee Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Brigadier General Seyed Mohammad Bagherzadeh, Commander of the Lost Search Committee of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, requested an investigation into the situation of three Iranian pilots who were allegedly captured by Qatar six months ago.
In the letter of the Iranian general, it was claimed that three pilots named Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behrooshian were captured alive by Qatari forces after the air operation on March 2, 2026.
TWO SU-24 WERE SHOWED DOWN BY QATAR
According to Wana News Agency, the incident in question took place on March 2. Qatar Ministry of Defense announced that two Su-24 warplanes coming from Iran were shot down by the Qatar Air Force. Doha also announced on the same day that seven ballistic missiles were blocked by air defense systems and five unmanned aerial vehicles were blocked by the Qatar Air Force and Qatar Navy.
Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari announced that the crew of two planes were missing and search efforts were continuing following the incident.
The letter that Iran has now sent to the Red Cross brings to the agenda the claim that three crew members are alive and being held in Qatar's hands, months after the incident.
According to the Iranian side, two Su-24s headed towards military targets in Qatar on March 2, as part of the counter operation carried out by the Iranian Air Force following the attacks on Iran on February 28, 2026.
Iran's letter stated that the planes were initially successful during the mission, but were hit by air defense systems on the way back and the pilots had to jump from the planes.
According to the letter, one of the four crew members, Majid Kazemi, died and his body was buried later. It was claimed that the other three people were captured alive by Qatari forces.
'THEY HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN WITH THEIR FAMILIES FOR SIX MONTHS'
Iranian general Bagherzadeh claimed that Qatari authorities did not allow the three soldiers to contact their families and also blocked their contact with official investigators.
The Iranian side argued that these practices were against the rules of international humanitarian law.
While it was claimed in the letter that Qatar violated its obligations under the Geneva Conventions regarding prisoners of war, it specifically referenced Articles 70 and 78 of the Third Geneva Convention.
Iran argued that the articles in question guaranteed the rights of prisoners of war to notify their families and the Red Cross's Central Search Agency of their capture, and to lodge requests and complaints before the protective forces and Red Cross representatives.
The letter also drew attention to the regulation regarding the repatriation of seriously injured or sick prisoners of war.
'EMERGENCY CONTROL' REQUEST FROM RED CROSS
The Search for the Missing Committee under the Iranian General Staff asked the International Committee of the Red Cross to immediately investigate the situation of the three pilots.
Within the scope of Iran's request, the Red Cross was asked to personally meet with the pilots allegedly held in Qatar, check their health conditions and convey the information obtained to the Iranian authorities.
Tehran also demanded that the Red Cross facilitate the rapid release of the pilots.
The Iranian general stated that they were deeply concerned about the situation of the three soldiers and asked the Red Cross to take action within the framework of its humanitarian powers.
IN QATAR'S STATEMENT, THE FATE OF THE PILOTS REMAINED UNCERTAIN
On the day of the incident, Qatar authorities confirmed that two Iranian Su-24s were shot down, but did not provide details about the fate of the planes' crews. The next day, the Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the crew was missing and search efforts were continuing.
