According to a report by the Iranian English television station on August 15, Saeed Mohammad Bagherzadeh, head of the Missing Persons Search Committee of the Iranian Armed Forces General Staff, recently wrote to Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC), appealing for urgent attention to the situation of three Iranian pilots who were captured by the Qatari military.
Bagheerzade said that on March 2, 2026, two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets carried out combat missions over the U.S. Wadi Deedh Air Base in Qatar. On their way back, they were attacked by air defense systems, forcing the pilots to eject.
He stated that among the four pilots of the two fighter jets, Majid Qaseemi died and his body was later transported back to Iran for burial. The other three pilots, Jawad Salihi, Abdulmajid Darshian, and Emran Behruzian, were captured by the Qatari military.
Majid Kazemi, Iranian media
Iran says that six months have passed since the incident, yet the Qatari government still has not allowed the three pilots to meet or communicate with their families, nor has it allowed them to contact Iranian officials who are responsible for following up on the case. Bagherzadeh accused Qatar of 'ignoring and violating' the basic rights of the captured individuals, in violation of international laws including the Geneva Conventions.
He cited relevant provisions of the Third Geneva Convention, stating that prisoners of war should be entitled to notify their families and the International Red Cross Committee of their capture situation. They also have the right to lodge complaints with representatives of the protecting state and the International Red Cross Committee.
Bagherzade called on the International Red Cross Committee to ‘immediately meet with the Iranian pilots in Qatar’, and to inform Iran about their health conditions and current situation.
Iran previously confirmed that Majid Kazemi was killed in the attack on Udaird Air Base in March. Iran stated that two Su-24 aircraft broke through American radar and air defense systems, carrying out attacks on US military bases.
