By Staff, Agencies

Iran's Foreign Ministry has paid tribute to Brigadier General Majid Kazemi, an Iranian Air Force pilot whose remains were recently repatriated following what Iranian authorities described as a retaliatory military operation against a US base in the region.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the upcoming funeral procession would honor a pilot who fulfilled his mission until his final moments.

In a social media post, he praised the Iranian Air Force and said the nation continues to await the return of three other servicemen who remain missing from the operation.

According to Iranian officials, Brigadier General Kazemi was killed on March 1, 2026, during a combat mission carried out in response to what Tehran described as US and “Israeli” military aggression against Iran.

Iran said two Su-24 aircraft carried out a strike on Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar after penetrating enemy air defenses before coming under fire during their return flight over the Persian Gulf. Iranian authorities said the mission was completed before the aircraft were hit.

The Foreign Ministry said Brigadier General Kazemi's identity was confirmed through DNA testing and other forensic investigations before his remains were returned to Shahid Lashgari Air Base in Tehran, where he was received with full military honors.

Iranian officials said the operation demonstrated the operational readiness of the Iranian Air Force and its ability to conduct long-range missions despite advanced air defense systems.

The statement also said Iranian Air Force F-5E/F aircraft carried out a separate operation against Camp Buehring in Kuwait on the same day, describing both missions as reflecting the experience and capabilities developed since the Iran-Iraq War.

Concluding its tribute, the Foreign Ministry reaffirmed Iran's position that any attack on its sovereignty would be met with what it described as a decisive military response.