Daijiworld Media Network - Doha
Doha, Aug 16: Iranian authorities on Saturday claimed that three Iranian pilots who went down during the early stages of the Middle East war were captured alive by Qatari forces and have been held in Qatar for six months, prompting Tehran to demand their release.
Iran had earlier reported that one pilot was killed and others were missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but details about the alleged capture had not been made public at the time.
“Three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,” General Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces said, according to Fars news agency.
In a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross, Bagherzadeh identified the pilots as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behraveshian, claiming that they had been held by Qatari forces for six months.
Bagherzadeh called for their release and alleged that the pilots had not been allowed to meet or contact their families.
Qatar, however, categorically denied the claim.
“We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots & are surprised by these misleading statements at this particular time, amid the ongoing diplomatic efforts & initiatives aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region,” Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari said on social media on Saturday.
Last month, Iran's military said it had recovered the body of pilot Majid Kazemi, who was killed during the attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in early March.
The Al Udeid base hosts forward components of US Central Command (CENTCOM), along with the command's air forces and special operations forces. It is the largest US military base in the region.
In early March, Qatar's Defence Ministry said it had shot down two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 bombers, although it was unclear whether they were the same aircraft referred to in Iran's latest claims.
Qatar and other countries in the region had faced retaliatory attacks following US and Israeli strikes that triggered the war on February 28. It was the first time a Gulf country had reported shooting down an Iranian aircraft since the conflict began.
Diplomatic efforts resulted in an April ceasefire, bringing nearly 40 days of fighting to an end. A framework for peace talks was subsequently signed in June, but the process later collapsed.
Iran and the United States have since exchanged fire sporadically, with fighting largely concentrated in southern Iran and around the Strait of Hormuz.
Qatar also came under attack after the ceasefire broke down, reporting strikes on its territory and at least one Qatari tanker travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
The attacks occurred as Qatar intensified efforts to broker a negotiated settlement to the conflict alongside Pakistan, which had initially played a mediating role.
Fighting between the US and Iran has remained largely subdued since late July, although sporadic attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz have continued.