Iran publicly confirms three missing Pilots were captured by Qatar
Iran has publicly confirmed for the first time that three Iranian Air Force pilots who went missing following an attack on a US military base in Qatar on March 2 were captured alive by Qatari forces.
According to news agency, a senior Iranian military official has called on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to investigate the condition of the pilots and take steps to secure their release.
Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of the committee established by the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff to investigate missing personnel, expressed concern over the fate of the pilots in a letter addressed to ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric Egger.
According to Bagherzadeh, on March 2, 2026, two Iranian Air Force Su-24 fighter bombers were dispatched toward a US military base in Qatar in response to attacks carried out against Iran. He said both aircraft successfully completed their mission but were targeted by an enemy air defence system while returning, forcing their crews to eject.
Four pilots were aboard the two aircraft. One of them, Majid Kazemi, was killed in the incident. His remains were later recovered, transferred to Iran and buried there, according to the Iranian military official.
Bagherzadeh said Iran had received information indicating that the other three pilots involved in the incident—Javad Salehi, Abdulhamid Dashtian and Imran Behroishian—had survived and were captured by Qatari forces.
In his letter, the Iranian brigadier general criticised Qatar, claiming that six months after the incident, Qatari authorities had failed to respect the rights of the prisoners under international law, including the Geneva Conventions.
He said that despite diplomatic efforts and continued communication, Iranian authorities had not been allowed to meet or interview the pilots. He also alleged that the three men had not been permitted to communicate with their families or Iranian officials responsible for following the case.
Bagherzadeh said the issue could fall under provisions relating to war crimes and therefore required serious consideration and investigation.
He called on the Red Cross to immediately visit the three Iranian pilots in Qatar, assess their health and current condition, inform Iranian authorities about their situation, and assist in securing their immediate release.
The Iranian news agency said the disclosure came after months of uncertainty surrounding the fate of the three pilots. On August 1, Iranian military spokesman Brigadier General Mohammad Akraminia said Iran was continuing to pursue the matter. At the time, Qatari authorities maintained that they had no information regarding the missing Iranian air force personnel.
According to the Iranian military, the two Su-24 aircraft had taken off from Shahid Doran Air Base in Shiraz. Iranian officials claimed that, despite advanced radar networks and sophisticated air defence systems, the aircraft managed to strike Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which is used by the United States.
The Iranian military further claimed that the aircraft were targeted by enemy air defence systems over the Gulf while returning from the mission. Despite heavy ground-based anti-aircraft fire, the operation was reportedly completed successfully.
Iranian officials described the mission as a demonstration that the attacking forces could be challenged and said it delivered a clear message to their adversaries.
The development follows an earlier statement by Qatar’s Ministry of Defence, which said on March 2 that the Qatari Air Force had shot down two Iranian Su-24 aircraft approaching from Iran.
The latest Iranian disclosure could add further diplomatic pressure on Qatar and increase international attention on the status and treatment of the three missing pilots.
