Qatar denies detaining missing Iranian pilots after downed aircraft claims

Qatar on Saturday denied that it was detaining Iranian pilots who went missing early in the US-Israeli war with Iran after their aircraft were downed.

"We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots and are surprised by these misleading statements," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said on X.

He added that the remains of one of the pilots were found and that Qatar contacted Iran to coordinate a handover.

However, Tehran had not responded to the invitation, the spokesperson said.

Iran calls on Qatar to release downed pilots

Qatar's response comes after Iranian media published a statement by the head of the Committee for Missing Persons at the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces.

"Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behraveshian have been held by Qatari forces for six months," General Mohammad Bagherzadeh said in a letter.

Bagherzadeh also said that three Iranian pilots had been "captured alive" after their fighter jets crashed during a mission targeting a military base in Qatar shortly after the start of the Iran war.

In the letter, the general alleged that Qatar had not allowed the pilots to contact or meet with families or Iranian officials handling their cases.

The official also asked the International Committee of the Red Cross for help to follow up on the fate of the pilots.

Qatar shot down Iranian jets in early March

Tehran responded to the US-Israeli attacks in late February with a series of strikes across the region, including US military facilities in the Gulf.

On March 2 — the third day of the war — Qatar's Defense Ministry said it had downed two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers. However, it was unclear if those jets were flown by the pilots Iran claims are being held in Qatar.

Qatar had condemned Iran for its "reckless and irresponsible" targeting of its territory.