Pakistan, Aug. 16 -- Qatar has rejected Iranian claims that three pilots whose aircraft were shot down during earlier hostilities are secretly being held by Qatari authorities.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry said its forces were not detaining any surviving Iranian aircrew and described Tehran's allegations as misleading, while diplomatic efforts continue to reduce regional tensions.

Iranian General Mohammad Bagherzadeh claimed three pilots were captured alive after their Su-24 aircraft crashed in March and urged the International Committee of the Red Cross to investigate.

He identified the pilots as Javad Salehi, Abdolmajid Dashtian and Omran Behraveshian, alleging they had remained without contact with their families or diplomatic represent...