Tehran: Qatar detains 3 Iranian pilots

Tehran announced that Qatari forces have captured three Iranian pilots alive after their Sukhoi-24 fighter jet crashed during what Iran described as an "American-Israeli aggression" in February. The commander of the Search Committee for Missing Persons of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, Brigadier General Mohammad Bagherzadeh, stated that the pilots, identified as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behroosian, have been held by Qatar for six months.

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Qatari forces captured 3 Iranian pilots alive after their fighter jets, a Sukhoi-24 model, crashed during the American-Israeli aggression last February.

Bagherzadeh asserted in a statement on Saturday that the Qatari government has not permitted the pilots to meet with their families, conduct interviews, or communicate with Iranian officials tasked with following up on their case. This alleged detention follows the crash of the fighter jet, the details of which remain contentious, with Iran attributing the incident to foreign aggression.

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The pilots Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behroosian have been held by the Qatari forces for six months.

Citing the Third Geneva Convention concerning prisoners of war, the Iranian official urged the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to meet with the detained pilots as soon as possible. He requested the ICRC to verify their health status and work towards securing their release. The Iranian Air Force pilots were reportedly captured following the aircraft's crash, and their prolonged detention has become a point of diplomatic concern for Tehran.

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The Qatari government has not allowed them, until now, to meet their families, conduct interviews, or communicate with the Iranian officials tasked with following up on their case.