Iran claims three pilots held in Qatar are in deteriorating health, urges hospitalization

Aug 22, 2026

Iran has accused Qatar of holding three Iranian pilots in deteriorating health "on water" following a March 2, 2026, jet shootdown near Al Udeid Air Base. Tehran is demanding their immediate transfer to a land-based hospital and has requested Red Cross air ambulance assistance. Qatar categorically denies detaining the pilots, stating they violated Qatari airspace and failed to respond to contact before their aircraft were downed.

Iranian pilots detention dispute

▪Mohammad Bagherzadeh welcomed Qatar's decision to receive an Iranian expert team and requested that Qatari authorities provide the necessary cooperation.
▪The dispute centers on three Iranian pilots — Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Omran Behraveshian — who went missing after their aircraft crashed on March 2, 2026.

March 2 Al Udeid mission

▪Iran claims the incident occurred on March 2, 2026, when two of its Su-24 fighter jets were sent toward the US Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar as part of a military response.
▪According to Mohammad Bagherzadeh, the two Iranian Su-24 jets completed their mission but came under fire from air defenses while returning, forcing the pilots to eject.

Pilot deteriorating health conditions

▪Mohammad Bagherzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, stated on August 22, 2026, that three Iranian pilots allegedly held by Qatar are in deteriorating health.
▪Mohammad Bagherzadeh claimed that the three Iranian pilots are being held "on water" in conditions unsuitable for maintaining their health.

Hospitalization transfer demands

▪Iran offered to send an air ambulance to Qatar to assist in transferring the three injured and sick pilots back to Iran.
▪Iran urged Qatar on August 22, 2026, to transfer the three Iranian pilots from their current location at sea to a properly equipped hospital on land.

Iran-Qatar conflicting accounts

▪Qatar stated that the Iranian aircraft violated Qatari airspace on March 2, 2026, and failed to respond to repeated attempts to establish contact before being downed.
▪Qatar recovered and returned the remains of one pilot, Brigadier General Majid Kazemi, and invited Iranian officials to examine the details of its search and rescue operations.
▪Qatar categorically denied holding the Iranian pilots, dismissing Tehran's claims as a media ploy and stating that it is not detaining any Iranian military personnel.

Red Cross mediation appeals

▪Mohammad Bagherzadeh appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to intervene regarding the three pilots whom Tehran claims Qatar has held for six months.
▪Iran appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross to send an air ambulance to Qatar to help transfer the three pilots.