In a post on Instagram the woman appealed for prayers, writing, “Please keep the two F-15 pilots shot down tonight in your prayers. I have a son who is a fighter pilot and I have yet to hear from him or his unit. My heart is heavy with worry. Please pray for all the pilots and their families.”
Responding to his message, Iran’s embassy in Pakistan said, “Be assured that your sons are in more danger with DJ Trump than in detention in Iran. Pray he is being held captive by Iran rather than being discovered by an American rescue team! “As Muslims and civilized Iranians, we know how to treat detainees with dignity and respect.”
The Iranian Embassy in South Africa reiterated this stance, saying, “In Iran, long before so-called humanitarian laws were written, the rights of prisoners of war (POWs) were already defined. We do not treat POWs like your cruel colleagues, the Zionists. We have an Iranian civilization. We do not live like the Stone Age like America.”
“In Iran, long before the so-called useless humanitarian laws were written, the rights of POWs were already defined. We do not treat POWs like your cruel colleagues, the Zionists. We have an Iranian civilization. We do not live like the US does in the Stone Age.”
The comments came as the US military was searching for at least one missing service member after Iran shot down two US airliners in separate incidents on Friday. One crew member has been rescued, while the condition of the other remains unknown.
Iran claimed it also attacked additional US assets, including helicopters, and state media reported that an A-10 attack plane crashed in the Persian Gulf after a gunfight with Iranian forces, although US officials said it was unclear whether it was shot down or crashed.
Footage circulated online showed US drones, planes and helicopters scanning mountainous areas where Iranian outlets said a pilot had ejected. Iranian state-linked media and broadcasters have also urged citizens to report or hand in any “enemy pilots”, as well as reporting reward offers.
The incidents mark a major escalation in the existing conflict that began on February 28, when US and Israeli forces launched strikes on Iran. This is the first confirmed incident of an American aircraft being downed during the war.
Despite Washington’s earlier claims that Iran’s air defenses have been largely degraded, recent losses indicate continuing operational risks. Iran has also claimed to have shot down a piloted aircraft several times during the conflict.
The wider war has spread across the region, with Iran launching attacks that set off airstrike sirens in Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates reported intercepting drones. Israel has also faced incoming missiles.
More than 1,900 people have been killed so far in the conflict, with casualties recorded in several countries, including the Gulf states, Israel and US service members.
Despite the fighting intensifying, diplomatic efforts are continuing. Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt are attempting to bring the two sides to the negotiating table, with discussions reportedly focused on a halt to hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s foreign minister has indicated willingness to engage in talks, saying the country has “never refused to go to Islamabad.”
However, US President Donald Trump has issued a fresh warning saying that if Iran does not meet demands related to the strategic waterway, “hell will reign over them within 48 hours”.
The situation remains volatile, with military operations ongoing and a search for the missing pilot continuing in the rugged terrain of southwestern Iran.
