Tehran, Iran – Iranian authorities have demanded that Qatar allow a fact-finding team from the Iranian Air Force to enter its territory to investigate the disappearance of three Iranian pilots, amid conflicting accounts from both countries regarding their fate. The demand comes months after a crisis erupted following reports that the three pilots went missing after Iranian fighter jets crashed during military incidents last March. Tehran maintains that the pilots may have survived the crash and are being held in Qatari territory.
Iran has confirmed its willingness to send a specialized team to conduct a field investigation and directly examine the details of the incident in an effort to obtain crucial information regarding the fate of the pilots. Tehran has also requested the assistance of the International Committee of the Red Cross in uncovering the truth. Iran seeks to locate the pilots it believes are still alive. Furthermore, Tehran wishes to ascertain their condition and work towards their repatriation.
Iran reports that three pilots—Javad Salehi, Abdul Majid Dashtian, and Omran Behroushian—disappeared after their Sukhoi-24 fighter jets crashed. Qatar, however, denies holding any Iranian pilots and maintains that its search operations following the crash recovered the remains of one pilot. According to Qatar, the other two pilots have not been found.
This discrepancy increases the complexity of the issue, especially as each party adheres to its version of what happened after the fighters fell. While Tehran demands a direct investigation inside Qatar, Doha confirms that it does not have information confirming the presence of Iranian pilots detained on its territory. By forming a fact-finding team, Iran seeks to resolve the controversy over the fate of the pilots. While any joint or international investigation may represent an opportunity to bring stories closer together and reveal the circumstances of the incident. This comes at a time when the region is witnessing escalating tensions and great sensitivity towards any new military or security developments.
