Qatar has denied claims that it is holding Iranian pilots in detention as “misleading”, saying the timing was surprising amid diplomatic efforts to de-escalate regional tension.
The incident dates back to the opening days of the Iran war on March 2, when Qatar said its air force shot down two Iranian Su-24 bombers – the first such interception in the Gulf during the conflict.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said Qatar had established contact with the pilots after they breached the country's airspace.
“We reaffirm that contact was established with the pilots concerned following their violation of Qatari airspace and after confirming the trajectory of the targeting,” Mr Al Ansari said in a post on X.
“After following the rules of engagement and attempting to communicate with them without receiving a response, the necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law."
He added that Doha had clarified details of the incident through official channels at the time. Qatar’s response teams later conducted an operation to find the pilots' remains, Mr Al Ansari said.
“Qatar’s search and rescue teams, which possess world-class expertise and capabilities, carried out their duties to the fullest in searching for the remains of the pilots,” said Mr Al Ansari.
Iran accusation
Qatar subsequently contacted Iran to co-ordinate, in accordance with international humanitarian law, the handover of the remains of one pilot who was found, he said.
Doha also invited an Iranian team to visit Qatar in April to receive details of the search-and-rescue operation, but Mr Al Ansari said Iran had not yet responded.
The Iranian account, however, directly contradicts Qatar’s version.
In a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Brig Gen Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of Iran’s Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of the Armed Forces General Staff, alleged that three Iranian pilots who survived the incident were captured by Qatari forces and remain in detention. He accused Qatar of failing to allow the pilots to communicate with their families or Iranian officials, despite diplomatic efforts.
Brig Gen Bagherzadeh said it amounted to a breach of the pilots’ rights under the Geneva Conventions, writing that the rights of what he called "prisoners of war" had been disregarded and that, despite diplomatic efforts and follow-up, Qatar had “not allowed visits, interviews or contact with the prisoners with their families and officials”. He alleged the matter should be considered under provisions relating to war crimes.
The letter refers to the Geneva Conventions and asks the Red Cross to visit the alleged detainees, establish their health and physical condition and help facilitate their release.
The statement comes as Qatar says diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions are ongoing.
Iran has faced longstanding international criticism over arbitrary detention, including of foreign and dual nationals that critics say Tehran has repeatedly used as leverage in negotiations with other governments.
