Iran has formally called on Qatar to release three Iranian pilots reportedly captured after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the recent Middle East conflict.
General Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces, in a letter to the International Committee of the Red Cross, stated that the pilots—Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behraveshian—have been detained by Qatari forces for six months without access to family or communication.
Earlier, Iran confirmed the recovery of the body of pilot Majid Kazemi, who died during an attack on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in March. The base hosts US Central Command operations and is a strategic military site in the region.
The Middle East war began on February 28 following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which led to retaliatory attacks. A ceasefire was established in April after nearly 40 days of fighting, and peace talks commenced in June but eventually faltered. Sporadic clashes have continued since, primarily around southern Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, with a recent lull since late July.
