Iran Urges Qatar To Hospitalize ‘Detained’ Pilots Amid War Tensions

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

TEHRAN (Worthy News) – Iran urged Qatar on Saturday to transfer three Iranian fighter pilots it claims are being detained “on water” to a hospital on land, saying they are in poor physical condition, amid mounting tensions over the war involving Iran, Israel and the United States.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei reiterated Tehran’s demand that Qatar clarify the status of the three pilots, the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported in remarks monitored by Worthy News.

Baqaei said the Islamic Republic would pursue their fate through “all bilateral, multilateral and legal mechanisms.”

However, Qatar has denied holding the Iranian pilots, whose aircraft were shot down in March after entering Qatari airspace during the regional fighting. Doha said the aircraft failed to respond to attempts to contact them.

QATAR DENIES HOLDING PILOTS

Qatar said search-and-rescue teams recovered the remains of one Iranian pilot and contacted Tehran to coordinate their handover. Doha also invited Iran to review details of its search-and-rescue operations.

An Iranian delegation subsequently traveled to Doha and collected the pilot’s remains, while Qatar maintained there was no evidence that three other pilots had been captured alive.

In response, Iranian General Mohammad Bagherzadeh on Saturday welcomed Qatar’s willingness to receive an Iranian expert team and called for the necessary cooperation.

Tehran says the three pilots went missing during an operation “in response to U.S.-Israeli attacks on the country” and maintains that until their status is clarified, they should be considered captured alive.

RED CROSS URGED TO INTERVENE

Bagherzadeh also urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to work for the swift release of the alleged prisoners and enable them to establish video communication with their families.

He cited arrangements made for families of detainees at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and urged the Red Cross office responsible for Arab countries to pursue the case.

Critics say Tehran’s appeals for prisoner protections contrast with accusations surrounding its own treatment of detainees and its military involvement in regional conflicts.

The dispute comes amid continuing tensions over the wider war, which erupted on February 28 when Israel and the United States launched large-scale attacks against Iran, targeting nuclear and military facilities and senior leaders amid longstanding concerns about Tehran’s nuclear program and its regional military activities.

HORMUZ SHIPPING DISRUPTED

Iran retaliated against Israel, U.S. forces and other regional targets, expanding a confrontation that has also severely disrupted commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, connecting the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman, normally carries roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption, making developments there crucial for international energy markets.

Commercial traffic through the waterway remains sharply reduced amid the confrontation, although Iran on Saturday granted special permission for several Iraqi oil tankers to pass following diplomatic efforts by Baghdad.

Tehran and neighboring Oman have also discussed maritime navigation and prospects for renewed negotiations as Washington and Iran remain divided over Tehran’s nuclear activities, sanctions and security arrangements surrounding the waterway.

TRUMP STEPS UP PRESSURE

The developments came as U.S. President Donald J. Trump threatened intensified economic pressure on Tehran unless Iran agrees to reopen the waterway and address concerns over its nuclear program.

However, Iranian leaders insisted that foreign military and economic pressure would not force the Islamic Republic into submission.

The dispute over the missing pilots comes as Qatar and other Gulf states seek to avoid being drawn further into a war that already disrupted regional security, energy supplies and one of the world’s most important maritime trade routes.

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