Iran has accused Qatar of hindering its attempts to probe the disappearance of three Iranian pilots, who Tehran claims went missing amid the recent conflict. Qatar, however, has dismissed these accusations and denied detaining the pilots. Mohammad Bagherzadeh, an official from Iran’s armed forces, stated that an Iranian Air Force expert team has been awaiting clearance for months to travel to Qatar to investigate the situation. He appealed to Doha to permit the visit and urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to monitor the issue.
Previously, Iran reported that it had retrieved the body of pilot Majid Kazemi, who died during an assault involving the US Al Udeid Air Base located in Qatar. In response to Iran’s assertions, Majed al-Ansari, a spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, firmly refuted allegations of detaining Iranian pilots, explaining that Qatar had contacted the pilots after an alleged breach of its airspace. Defensive measures were taken following unsuccessful communication attempts.
Qatar stated that its search and rescue teams had been mobilized to find the pilots and any remains. Furthermore, it claimed to have collaborated with Iran regarding the transfer of the remains of the recovered pilot. According to Qatari authorities, Iran was invited in April to send officials to Qatar to obtain details about the search and rescue operations, but there had been no response from Iran to this invitation.
This dispute arises amidst the ongoing tensions between Iran, the United States, and other regional nations following the conflict outbreak earlier this year. Qatar has emerged as a key diplomatic player, striving to alleviate tensions and foster dialogue among the involved parties.