Qatar Regarding Three Pilots It Claims Are Being Held Captive in the Gulf State, According to Iranian Military Sources in Iran

The Iranian army said it has been informed by Qatar that Doha has no knowledge of the pilots' whereabouts. The demand was reported by Iran's Tasnim News Agency, citing an unnamed spokesman for the Iranian Armed Forces. According to the report, Iran's Foreign Ministry, the Presidency, and the General Staff have made direct attempts with Qatari authorities to determine the status of the alleged captive pilots.

The Iranian spokesman said Qatar has so far told Iran it has no information about the pilots' situation. The Iranian official called on Qatari authorities to take the matter more seriously, stating they expect a clear and documented response regarding the pilots' fate. "If they are truly unaware, they should act more responsibly than they currently are and make greater efforts to clarify the situation of these pilots, the spokesman said.

The claim dates back to August 15, when Brigadier General Mohammad Bakirzadeh, commander of the Iranian Armed Forces' Missing Persons Search Committee, announced that three of four Iranian pilots from two fighter jets downed during a war with the US and Israel had been captured by Qatar." Bakirzadeh said the pilots had been held by Qatar for six months without Iran being allowed to contact them. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid al-Ansari denied the claim on social media. On August 22, Bakirzadeh alleged that Qatar had allowed the three pilots to meet with Iran's ambassador in Doha and requested that the Red Cross send an air ambulance to Qatar to bring the pilots home. Iran has also proposed sending a team to Qatar over the missing pilots.