Iran on Saturday demanded that Qatar release three of Tehran¡¯s pilots whose aircraft went down early in the Middle East war, though the Gulf state denied it was detaining them.

Iran had previously reported one pilot killed and others missing after a sortie to Qatar in March, but news of their alleged capture was not publicized at the time.

¡°Three Iranian pilots were captured alive by Qatari forces after their Su-24 fighter jets crashed during the war,¡± Gen. Mohammad Bagherzadeh of the Iranian armed forces said according to the Fars news agency.