Iran says it will treat three missing pilots in Qatar as prisoners of war

TEHRAN, Iran — TEHRAN — Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday it will treat three Iranian pilots who went missing during a U.S.-targeted operation in Qatar as prisoners of war, despite Doha's denial that it is holding them. The ministry said the pilots disappeared on March 2 during an operation targeting the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, a major U.S. military installation. Iranian officials initially said one pilot had been killed and three others had gone missing, before confirming on Saturday that the three had been detained in Qatar. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei, speaking at a weekly press conference, said the fate of the pilots must be clarified. Qatar has denied holding the Iranian airmen. The case comes amid broader military operations against Iran by the United States and Israel, a development that has heightened regional tensions.