The Qatari Foreign Ministry "categorically" denied the allegations circulated regarding the detention of Iranian pilots. The General Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces said in a letter published by the semi-official Fars News Agency on Saturday that it had requested the International Committee of the Red Cross to help secure the release of three Iranian pilots it says are being held by Qatar. She added that the pilots were detained after their planes were hit during a mission carried out in March against what Tehran described as an “enemy military base” in Qatar, according to Reuters.