Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf mocked the U.S. search efforts for one of the crew members missing after a fighter jet was shot down on Friday.

One of the crew members was rescued during the U.S. military search operations, while the fate of the other remains unclear.

Qalibaf wrote on platform X : "After Iran was defeated 37 times in a row, this so-called brilliant war they started without any strategy has now stalled. Can anyone find our pilots? Please. Unbelievable, such ‘amazing progress,’ true geniuses in every sense."

مقطع فيديو تحقّقت منه CNN يُظهر جهود البحث الأميركية داخل إيران بعد إسقاط طائرة مقاتلة pic.twitter.com/us8VeM7HE2

— Annahar النهار (@Annahar) April 3, 2026

Since the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Qalibaf has emerged as one of the prominent leaders of the Iranian regime. 

Since the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Qalibaf has emerged as one of the most prominent leaders of the Iranian regime.

Trump’s first statement after Iran shot down a U.S. fighter jet

U.S. President Donald Trump told NBC that the downing of an American fighter jet would not affect any negotiations with Iran, while refusing to discuss the ongoing search and rescue mission.

In a brief phone interview, Trump added, "No, not at all. No, this is war. We are at war."

A photo released by the U.S. Central Command on X.

In a separate phone interview with the British newspaper The Independent, Trump said he could not comment on what he would do if the Iranians captured anyone or if a crew member was harmed, adding, "We hope that does not happen."

Later, Qalibaf posted separately about the Bab el-Mandeb Strait: "What percentage of global oil, liquefied natural gas, wheat, rice, and fertilizer shipments pass through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait?" He added, "Which countries and companies record the highest volumes of passage through the strait?"

Bab el-Mandeb serves as the southern entrance to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, which provides access to the Mediterranean Sea.

Iran-aligned Houthi forces in Yemen are stationed along the shores of Bab el-Mandeb and began attacking ships in the Red Sea in November 2023 in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza against Israel.

These attacks have caused a significant drop in maritime traffic through the Red Sea, reportedly by more than 50% according to some estimates. Companies have experienced sharp increases in costs and shipping times due to rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope at Africa’s southern tip.

According to the World Economic Forum, 12% of global trade and 30% of global container traffic pass through the Suez Canal, while about 6% of seaborne oil globally passes through Bab el-Mandeb, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

The Red Sea also serves as an alternative route for Saudi oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

The port of Yanbu on this waterway marks the end of a cross-country pipeline, allowing Saudi Arabia to transport up to seven million barrels of crude oil per day, according to Saudi Aramco.