Qatar on Saturday denied claims that it had detained Iranian pilots, describing the assertion as misleading amid ongoing diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating regional tensions.
"We categorically deny the claims circulating regarding the detention of Iranian pilots and are surprised by these misleading statements at this particular time," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari said in a post on social media platform X.
Al Ansari said contact had been established with the pilots concerned after they violated Qatari airspace and authorities confirmed the trajectory of the targeting.
"After following the rules of engagement and attempting to communicate with them without receiving a response, the necessary measures were taken to defend our territory in accordance with international law," he said, adding that the circumstances had been clarified at the time through official channels.
The spokesman said Qatari search and rescue teams subsequently conducted operations to search for the remains of the pilots. He added that Qatar had communicated with Iran to coordinate the handover of the remains of one pilot who was found.
An Iranian military commander said Saturday that Qatari forces captured three Iranian pilots whose fighter jets were shot down when returning from a military mission against a U.S. base in Qatar in March. The commander said a fourth pilot was killed.
On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing the country's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. bases and assets in the region.
The body of the slain Iranian pilot, Majid Kazemi, was returned to Iran and buried in the southern city of Shiraz in late July.
Qatar denies claims of detaining Iranian pilots
The average daily raw coal production by large-scale industrial firms in China during the first half of 2026 hit the second-highest historical level for the period, the China National Coal Association reported, underscoring coal's continued status as the mainstay of China's energy security.
Enterprises with annual main business revenue of 20 million yuan or more produced 13.07 million tonnes during the first six months, the association revealed.
As the backbone of China's energy system, coal output has maintained steady operation in 2026, delivering solid support for national energy security amid high seasonal demand.
China has now entered the peak summer energy consumption season, with temperatures in most parts of the country above the perennial average and some regions struck by periodic heatwaves.
To cope with extreme weather and shore up coal supply for the summer peak, the coal sector has tapped into the strengths of large-scale modern and intelligent coal mines, keeping national coal production and distribution stable and orderly.
"Across major coal-consuming industries, coal-fired power generation grew roughly 3 percent year on year in the first six months, serving as a vital bottom-line guarantee for peak summer power supply. Coal consumption for chemical production rose 7.3 percent from a year earlier, driving steady growth in overall coal demand," said Zhang Hong, vice president of the China National Coal Association.
Looking ahead to the second half of 2026, experts said they expect China's macro-economy to sustain steady and relatively fast expansion. With wider application of "AI plus" scenarios and surging energy demand from big data and computing power, overall energy consumption will continue climbing. In this context, coal will remain the mainstay of China's safe and stable energy supply and a key force providing fundamental backup.
China's coal output remains sufficient in H1, bolstering summer power supply
