Qatar Denies Capturing Three Iranian Pilots After Fighter Jet Incident

Iran has demanded the release of three pilots it says were captured by Qatar following a missile strike on a Qatari military base in March 2026. The pilots—Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian and Imran Behroshian—were allegedly held for six months, while the body of a fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was recovered by the Qatari authorities after he was killed in the same operation.

An Iranian Brigadier General, Mohammad Bagherzadeh, wrote in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross that the pilots were seized “after they ejected from their jets during the combat mission.” He accused Qatar of violating the crews’ inalienable rights and of breaching international law, adding that the men were denied contact with their families.

Qatar’s foreign‑affairs spokesman, Majed Mohammed Al Ansari, said the nation had "contacted the pilots after they violated Qatari airspace" but had received no reply. He insisted Qatar’s actions were in line with international law and that search‑and‑rescue teams had "carried out their duties to the fullest extent" in locating the pilots’ remains. Qatar also said it had worked with Iran to hand over the body of one recovered pilot, though Tehran has yet to reply to an invitation to review the operation.