Archive · 17 Aug 2026
Iran says missing pilots are prisoners in Qatar, Doha denies
Iran and Qatar are having a disagreement about three pilots.
The pilots are from Iran.
Iran says the pilots went missing during a mission.
The mission was against an air base in Qatar.
Iran thinks Qatar is keeping the pilots as prisoners.
Qatar says it is not holding them.
Qatar says it talked to the pilots after they flew into Qatari airspace.
Qatar also invited Iran to see its search efforts, but Iran has not come.
One pilot died and his body was returned to Iran.
The other three pilots are still missing, and both countries are trying to figure out what happened.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said Iran considers three missing pilots prisoners in Qatar until their fate is clarified.
Qatar denies holding the pilots and says it invited Iran to be briefed on search and rescue operations in April, but Iran has yet to respond.
The pilots went missing during an operation against the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar on March 2, shortly after the outbreak of the West Asia war.
One of the four Iranian pilots was killed and his body returned; the other three remain unaccounted for, according to Tehran.
Qatar's foreign affairs spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari said contact was made with the pilots after they violated Qatari airspace, but no response was received.
- Who
- Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei, Qatari foreign affairs spokesperson Majed Mohammed Al Ansari, and three missing Iranian pilots
- What
- Iran says it considers three missing pilots prisoners in Qatar until their fate is clarified; Qatar denies holding them
- When
- The pilots went missing on March 2; Iran contacted the ICRC on March 15 or 16; Qatar's invitation to Iran was sent in April
- Where
- Iran, Qatar, and the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar
- Why
- The pilots went missing during an operation against Al Udeid Air Base shortly after the outbreak of the West Asia war, and Iran is seeking clarification of their fate
Iran's position
Qatar's position
Pilots' whereabouts
Iran's position
Iran considers the three missing pilots prisoners in Qatar until their fate is clarified and says it will use bilateral, multilateral and legal mechanisms to pursue the matter.
Qatar's position
Qatar denies holding the pilots and says contact was made with them after they violated Qatari airspace, but no response was received.
Search and rescue cooperation
Iran's position
Iran says it sent its first correspondence with the International Committee of the Red Cross on March 15 or 16 and is pursuing the matter through the Qatari Embassy in Tehran.
Qatar's position
Qatar says it invited Iran to be briefed on the details of its search and rescue operations in April, but the Iranian side has yet to respond.
- Missing pilots
- 3
- Pilots involved
- 4 (one killed, body returned)
- Date of operation
- March 2
- Target of operation
- U.S. Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar
- ICRC contact
- March 15 or 16
- Qatar's invitation
- Briefing on search and rescue operations in April
- Iran's stance
- Considers pilots prisoners until fate is clarified
- Qatar's stance
- Denies holding the pilots