Live: Qatar denies holding Iranian pilots, says one pilot's remains found

Download AppNewsWorldLive: Qatar denies holding Iranian pilots, says one pilot's remains foundMiddle East CrisisUS-Iran War Live Updates: Iran called on the United States to accept defeat as the conflict showed no signs of easing, while US President Donald Trump called Tehran “very evil” and warned Americans to prepare for persistently high fuel prices. Progress towards peace talks remained stalled, with oil tanker traffic through the strategic Strait of Hormuz also halted. Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the waterway would remain under Tehran’s control until Washington accepted what he described as the reality of defeat. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Iran had not decided to resume talks with the US, adding that messages exchanged through Qatar and Pakistan did not constitute negotiations. Separate discussions with Oman were focused on establishing a sea route through the Strait, he said. Meanwhile, Qatar on Saturday denied claims that it was holding Iranian pilots, saying they had violated Qatari airspace in March and failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact them....Read MoreVessels near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman. (Photo- Reuters)Aug 16, 2026 01:46 ISTMiddle East Conflict: Qatar denies holding Iranian pilotsQatar on Saturday denied claims that it was holding Iranian pilots, saying they had violated Qatari airspace in March and failed to respond to repeated attempts to contact them. A Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said search and rescue teams later found the remains of one pilot and that Doha had contacted Iran to coordinate the handover. The spokesperson added that Tehran had yet to respond to an invitation to review details of its operations. The statement came after Iranian state news agency IRNA quoted a senior military official as saying three Iranian pilots had been captured alive by Qatari forces after ejecting from fighter jets during a combat mission targeting a military base in Qatar.