An Iranian military official on Saturday urged Qatar to transfer detained Iranian pilots from a location on water to a hospital on land, saying the pilots were in poor physical condition. The appeal was reported by Iran's Tasnim news agency and comes amid conflicting claims between Tehran and Doha over the status of the pilots and the circumstances surrounding their detention. Mohammad Baqerzadeh, commander of the Committee for the Search for Missing Persons of Iran's Armed Forces General Staff, said the location where the pilots were being held was unsuitable for their condition. He called for the International Committee of the Red Cross to send an air ambulance to Qatar, saying this would help facilitate the transfer of injured and sick detainees back to Iran.

Baqerzadeh's remarks indicate that Tehran believes at least some of the pilots require medical attention. His appeal focused on moving them to a hospital on land before arranging their return to Iran. The Iranian official did not provide further details in the report about the number of pilots involved, the nature of their injuries or illnesses, or the exact location where they were allegedly being held. The claims come against the backdrop of a dispute over whether Qatar is holding Iranian pilots. Doha denied last week that it was detaining Iranian pilots, while saying that the individuals in question had violated Qatari airspace earlier this year. Qatar also said the pilots had failed to respond to attempts by its authorities to contact them.

Qatar's account has added to the uncertainty surrounding the incident. Doha said it had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover of the remains of one pilot and had invited Tehran to examine details of its search and rescue operations. According to Qatar, however, it did not receive a response from Iranian authorities. The differing accounts have left questions over the circumstances in which the pilots became involved in the incident and what happened afterward. The Iranian request for intervention by the International Committee of the Red Cross represents an effort to address the reported medical concerns through an international humanitarian organisation. Baqerzadeh specifically called for an air ambulance to be sent to Qatar, arguing that such assistance could accelerate the return of injured or sick detainees to Iran.

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The issue also involves the sensitive question of airspace violations and the treatment of personnel following an aviation incident. Qatar has maintained that the pilots violated its airspace and did not respond to communications from Qatari authorities. Iran, meanwhile, has raised concerns about their alleged detention and physical condition. Neither side's account has been independently established by the information currently available. The dispute comes at a time when aviation incidents involving military personnel can quickly develop into broader diplomatic issues. The status of the pilots, the fate of the pilot whose remains Qatar says it sought to return, and the details of the search and rescue operation remain central to the disagreement between the two countries.

For Tehran, the immediate concern appears to be the reported health of the pilots and securing medical assistance and their return. Qatar, however, has rejected the description that it is holding Iranian pilots and has instead pointed to the alleged airspace violation and its efforts to communicate with Iran. The latest statements therefore highlight a continuing gap between the positions of the two governments. Iran is calling for the pilots to be moved to a hospital and returned home, while Qatar disputes the characterization of the situation and says it has already attempted to coordinate with Tehran. Further diplomatic engagement may be required to clarify the pilots' status and resolve the disagreement over their treatment and return.

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