Qatar rejects Iran's claim it detained 3 fighter pilots after March attack

Qatar on Saturday rejected Iran's claim that three Iranian fighter pilots were detained by Qatari authorities after their aircraft went down during attacks in March, calling the allegations misleading. Majed Al Ansari, adviser to the prime minister and Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said on US social media platform X that Doha "categorically" denied the claims and expressed surprise that they were being circulated "at this particular time," amid diplomatic efforts to reduce regional tensions. Al Ansari said Qatari authorities established contact with the Iranian pilots after they violated the country's airspace and after confirming the trajectory of the incoming attack. He said that after following the rules of engagement and attempting unsuccessfully to communicate with the pilots, "the necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law," adding that the incident had been clarified at the time through official channels. Al Ansari said Qatar's search and rescue teams subsequently searched for the pilots' remains. He added that Doha coordinated with Tehran over the handover of the remains of one pilot who was found, in accordance with international humanitarian law. Qatar also invited an Iranian team to visit in April to be briefed on the search and rescue operations, but Iran has yet to respond to the invitation, Al Ansari said. The statement came after Iran claimed that three of its pilots had been captured alive by Qatari forces after two Su-24 fighter jets went down during attacks in March. Mohammad Bagherzadeh, head of the Missing Persons Search Committee of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said in a letter to International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Mirjana Spoljaric that three pilots were captured alive after the two aircraft went down March 2 during attacks on a military base in Qatar. Bagherzadeh said pilot Majid Kazemi was killed, while Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behrouzian were captured alive. He accused Qatar of violating the pilots' rights under the Geneva Conventions by denying them contact with their families and Iranian officials despite diplomatic efforts over the past six months. The Missing Persons Search Committee urged the ICRC to interview the pilots allegedly held in Qatar, inform Tehran of their condition and facilitate their release. The incident occurred as Iran launched attacks on a military base in Qatar during the regional conflict. Tehran said two Su-24 fighter jets were hit by air defenses during the operation. Qatar, however, maintains that it searched for the pilots' remains, coordinated with Iran over the remains of one pilot who was recovered and invited an Iranian team to review the search and rescue operation.