Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Iran urges Qatar to admit fact-finding team over pilots
Iran says that in March, three of its pilots were captured by Qatar after their planes were shot down.
Iran also says a fourth pilot was killed.
Qatar says it did not capture the pilots.
Iran wants to send a team of experts to Qatar to find out what happened, but Qatar has not let them in.
Iran's military commander, Mohammad Bagherzadeh, is asking Qatar to allow the team to visit.
He says the team has been waiting for months.
Qatar's spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, denied the claim on social media.
Iran says the body of one pilot, Majid Kazemi, was returned and buried in Shiraz.
The two countries disagree about what happened to the pilots.
Iranian commander Mohammad Bagherzadeh called on Qatar to allow an Iranian Air Force fact-finding team to enter the country.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari denied claims that Qatari forces captured three Iranian pilots in March.
Bagherzadeh said the pilots' fighter jets were shot down while returning from a military mission against a US base in Qatar.
The commander said a fourth pilot, Majid Kazemi, was killed and his body was returned to Iran and buried in Shiraz in late July.
Iran accused Qatari authorities of 'continuous obstructionism and procrastination' in allowing the fact-finding team entry.
- Who
- Iranian military commander Mohammad Bagherzadeh and Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al Ansari
- What
- Iran urged Qatar to allow an Iranian fact-finding team to investigate the alleged capture of three Iranian pilots
- When
- The alleged capture occurred in March; the commander's statement was made on Sunday
- Where
- Qatar and Iran (the killed pilot was buried in Shiraz, Iran)
- Why
- Iran wants to investigate the fate of its pilots, while Qatar denies capturing them
Iran's Position
Qatar's Position
Capture of pilots
Iran's Position
Iran claims Qatari forces captured three Iranian pilots whose jets were shot down in March.
Qatar's Position
Qatar denies that it captured the Iranian pilots.
Fact-finding team access
Iran's Position
Iran says its expert team has been waiting for months and accuses Qatar of obstructionism.
Qatar's Position
Qatar has not allowed the team entry and has not commented on the delay.
- Iranian commander
- Mohammad Bagherzadeh
- Qatari spokesperson
- Majed Al Ansari
- Alleged captured pilots
- Three Iranian pilots
- Killed pilot
- Majid Kazemi
- Burial location
- Shiraz, Iran (late July)
- Timeline
- Incident in March; denial on Saturday; statement on Sunday
- Context
- Pilots' jets shot down returning from a mission against a US base in Qatar