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Iran seeks clear answer from Qatar on fate of three missing pilots
TEHRAN — Iran’s Army has called on Qatar to provide a clear, documented account of the fate of three Iranian pilots who went missing after two Iranian fighter jets were shot down during an operation against a US military base in Qatar during the recent Ramadan war.
Brig. Gen. Mohammad Akraminia, spokesman for the Islamic Republic of Iran Army, said the case dated back to the early days of the conflict. In an interview with Mehr News Agency, he said two Iranian Air Force Sukhoi fighter jets carried out an operation against a US base in Qatar on March 12. The aircraft were targeted by enemy combat air patrols while returning from the mission and were shot down, he said.
Akraminia said Iran later received the body of one of the pilots killed in the incident, identifying him as Majid Kazemi, whose remains were buried in Shiraz.
However, because each aircraft had two pilots, the fate of three other crew members has remained unknown, according to the Iranian Army spokesman.
Iran has since pursued the matter through diplomatic and military channels, including the Foreign Ministry, the presidential administration, the Army Headquarters and direct contacts with the Qatari government and military, Akraminia said.
“Contacts have been made and follow-ups have been made, but to date the Qatari side has responded by stating that it is unaware of the fate of these pilots,” he said.
Akraminia urged Doha to intensify its efforts to establish what happened to the missing crew members and provide Iran with evidence that could be independently examined.
“We really want the Qatari side to pay more attention to this issue and provide a clear and documented response so that we can accept the documentation and learn about the fate of these pilots,” he said.
He added that if Qatari authorities genuinely had no information about the pilots, they should act with greater responsibility and make a stronger effort to determine their whereabouts.
The issue has emerged as another sensitive security matter between Iran and Qatar following the recent conflict. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, one of the largest US military installations in the Middle East, making Doha a key regional actor in matters related to the US military presence and the broader security environment.
The Iranian Army has also described the reported attack on the US base in Qatar as part of a broader shift in its military doctrine. Akraminia said Iranian forces were moving from a predominantly defensive posture toward a more offensive doctrine, citing operations conducted by Iranian fighter aircraft during the war as evidence of the shift.
The Army spokesman has previously said the conflict provided Iran’s armed forces with new operational experience and increased their confidence and readiness. He said the military had used the ceasefire period to rebuild damaged systems, introduce new equipment and strengthen operational and training capabilities.
For now, however, the fate of the three missing pilots remains unresolved.
Tehran says that, given the circumstances surrounding the incident and its connection to an operation targeting a US military facility in Qatar, it expects Doha to make greater efforts to establish what happened to the missing crew members.
Akraminia specifically addressed the Qatari Foreign Ministry’s reported statement that it did not know the pilots’ fate, saying such a response was insufficient.
The case adds a humanitarian dimension to the broader security tensions surrounding the recent Iran-US conflict. For Tehran, the issue is not only about determining the fate of missing military personnel but also about obtaining a documented account of an incident that took place in connection with a major US military facility located on Qatari territory.
Iran is now awaiting a formal and substantiated response from Doha. Any information or evidence provided by Qatar could help establish the fate of the three missing pilots and resolve one of the outstanding cases stemming from the recent conflict.
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