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Iran accuses Middle East war mediator Qatar of holding its missing pilots, delaying probe; Doha rejects claims
Mohammad Bagherzadeh said that a team of experts from the Iranian Air Force has been waiting for several months to travel to Qatar to conduct a probe.
As tensions in the Middle East refuse to die down, Iran on Sunday accused Qatar, which played a key mediator role in talks with the US to end hostilities, of obstructing efforts to investigate the fate of three pilots Tehran claims were captured during the war.
Qatar has rejected the claims regarding the detention of the Iranian pilots.
Earlier in March, Iran reported that one pilot was killed and others went missing after a sortie to Qatar, according to an AFP report.
Also Read | Iran calls for release of pilots captured in Qatar during West Asia war
Iran accuses Qatar of obstructing probe
According to an Iranian official, Tehran wants to send an inquiry team of experts to examine the status of missing personnel.
Iranian armed forces' General Mohammad Bagherzadeh said, "A team of experts from the Iranian Air Force has been waiting for several months to travel to Qatar to conduct an on-site investigation." He called on Doha to authorise the team to travel to Qatar.
"However, due to persistent delays by Qatari authorities, the return of our brave pilots to their homeland remains impossible," the official added, according to the Tasnim news agency.
Baqerzadeh also reportedly called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to follow up on the matter.
Body of pilot retrieved
Iran previously stated that it had retrieved the body of pilot Majid Kazemi, who was killed during an attack targeting the US Al Udeid Air Base.
Also Read | Donald Trump says will declare Strait of Hormuz ‘US territory’, Iran hits back
Qatar denies detention claims
Addressing Tehran's allegations, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Majed al-Ansari, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), denied the claims regarding the detention of Iranian pilots.
He said, "We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots & are surprised by these misleading statements at this particular time, amid the ongoing diplomatic efforts & initiatives aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region."
"We reaffirm that contact was established with the pilots concerned following their violation of Qatari airspace & after confirming the trajectory of the targeting. After following the rules of engagement & attempting to communicate with them without receiving a response, the necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law. This was clarified at the time through official channels," he added.
Highlighting that the search and rescue teams carried out their duties, he noted, "In this context, we note that Qatar’s search & rescue teams, which possess world-class expertise & capabilities, carried out their duties to the fullest in searching for the remains of the pilots."
The spokesperson also stated that Qatar had communicated with the Iranian side to coordinate the handover of the remains of one of the pilots who was found, in accordance with the relevant provisions of international humanitarian law.
"Qatar also issued an invitation for an Iranian team to visit Qatar to be briefed on the details of the search & rescue operations in April, but the Iranian side has yet to respond to the invitation," he continued.
US-Iran war - What happened?
The Middle East conflict began on February 28 when the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran, after which Tehran carried out retaliatory attacks across the region.
Iran and the US have continued to trade strikes, leaving the Strait of Hormuz tense and heightening regional security concerns.
