Iran has claimed that three of its Air Force pilots missing since March 2 were captured alive by Qatari forces.
The claim relates to an Iranian attack on the US-operated Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. Qatar has denied holding the pilots, leaving conflicting accounts about their fate.
Iran Seeks ICRC Intervention
Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh raised the allegation in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross. Bagherzadeh heads an Iranian Armed Forces committee responsible for locating missing personnel.
He asked ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric to investigate the condition and whereabouts of the missing pilots. He also requested assistance in securing their release if they are being detained.
According to Iran, two Su-24 aircraft departed from Shahid Doran Air Base in Shiraz on March 2. Iran says the aircraft carried out a mission targeting Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
The aircraft were reportedly struck by air defences while returning over the Persian Gulf. Iran says the crews were forced to eject from the aircraft.
Qatar Says Two Iranian Aircraft Were Shot Down
Qatar announced on March 2 that its forces had shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft. Qatari authorities said the aircraft were approaching from Iran.
Officials initially said search operations were underway to locate the crews. According to the Iranian account, four pilots were aboard the two aircraft.
One pilot, Brigadier General Majid Kazemi, was later confirmed dead through DNA testing. His remains were returned to Iran in July.
Three Iranian Pilots Remain Missing
The three missing pilots were identified as Javad Salehi, Abdolhamid Dashtian and Imran Behrooshian.
Tehran now claims all three were captured alive by Qatari forces. Iranian officials allege they have been unable to access the pilots despite diplomatic efforts.
They also claim the pilots’ families have not been allowed contact with them. Bagherzadeh asked the ICRC to visit the three pilots and determine their health conditions.
He also requested confirmation of their whereabouts and assistance in communicating information to Iranian authorities. The Iranian official further alleged possible violations of international humanitarian law.
Qatar Denies Detaining Iranian Pilots
Qatar has rejected Iran’s allegation that it is holding the three missing airmen.
According to Qatar’s account, search-and-rescue operations recovered the remains of only one pilot. Qatar has also said it offered cooperation to Iran regarding the incident.
The conflicting statements mean the fate of the three pilots remains unclear. Iran is now seeking international intervention to determine what happened following the March 2 incident.
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The dispute adds another point of tension between Tehran and Doha as both sides maintain different accounts of the missing pilots.
