Iran Demands Red Cross Break Qatari Silence on Pilots
TEHRAN -- The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has escalated its diplomatic push to secure answers regarding three Iranian pilots who have been held in Qatar since March, warning of deteriorating health conditions and urging the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to intervene immediately.
In a letter to ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric on Friday, IRCS president Pirhussein Kolivand called for urgent action to determine the status, location, and health condition of the detained Iranian nationals.
“Given the humanitarian mandate and responsibilities of the ICRC, we request that this matter be urgently investigated and pursued through the relevant channels,” Kolivand wrote.
The case stems from March 2, when two Iranian Sukhoi Su-24 fighter jets flew to Qatar to carry out a military mission amid escalating U.S. and Israeli aggression against Iran.
According to Iranian military officials, the aircraft were struck by enemy air defense systems while returning, forcing the pilots to eject. One pilot, Majid Kazemi, was martyred, while three others—Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian, and Emran Behrouzian—were captured alive by Qatari forces. Kazemi’s body was eventually returned to Iran in late July.
Qatar initially denied the pilots