Iran says it will continue to regard three missing pilots as prisoners of war until clear explanation by Qatar

Iran says it will continue to regard three pilots who went missing during the Middle East war as prisoners in Qatar until Doha provides a clear explanation of what happened to them.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry said Monday that Tehran remains convinced the pilots’ fate has not been properly established, despite Qatar’s repeated denial that it is holding them.

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According to Iranian authorities, the pilots disappeared after taking part in an operation targeting the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on March 2, shortly after the war began. Tehran had initially reported that one pilot was killed while others were missing.

The Iranian government only recently alleged that the missing personnel had actually been captured in Qatar, marking a significant shift from its earlier account.

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Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was determined to establish what happened to the pilots and would continue pursuing the matter.

“It is imperative to obtain clarification on their situation,” Baghaei said at a weekly press briefing.

Qatar has rejected the accusation that it detained the Iranian personnel. Doha says it previously invited Iranian officials to receive information about search-and-rescue operations conducted in April, but maintains that Tehran has not responded to the invitation.

The dispute adds another point of tension between Iran and Qatar as questions surrounding the pilots remain unresolved. Qatar has also been involved in broader diplomatic efforts connected to the regional conflict, making the disagreement particularly sensitive.

At the moment, Tehran says it will continue treating the three missing pilots as prisoners until their whereabouts and status are established. Qatar, meanwhile, maintains that it is not holding them and says Iran has yet to engage with its offer of information.

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