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Qatar publicly denied Iranian claims that it is holding three Iranian pilots in custody. Iran has said the airmen have been detained since Qatari air defences shot down two Iranian fighter jets at the outset of the US-Iran war, an incident that drew Doha unexpectedly into the conflict. The dispute highlights the strain the war has placed on relations between Iran and its Gulf neighbours, several of which host US military facilities while trying to avoid direct confrontation with Tehran. Qatar has previously played a mediating role between Iran and the United States, making the disagreement over the pilots politically sensitive. No independent confirmation of the pilots' whereabouts has been provided by either side.