Pakistan has strongly rejected a news report alleging that Iranian military aircraft were permitted to park at the strategically significant Nur Khan Airbase during a period of heightened conflict between Iran and the United States, calling the claims misleading and harmful to regional stability.
The controversy follows a CBS News report citing American officials who stated that multiple Iranian aircraft were sent to the Pakistani Air Force’s Nur Khan base near Rawalpindi shortly after President Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April. Among the aircraft was reportedly an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. U.S. officials suggested the move may have shielded Iranian assets from potential American airstrikes.
Dismissing the allegations, Pakistani officials clarified that a number of aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived during the initial round of Islamabad talks to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the negotiation process. Although formal negotiations have not yet resumed, some aircraft remain temporarily in anticipation of further rounds to follow.
Pakistan emphasized that the Iranian aircraft currently parked in the country have no military role, calling contrary assertions “nothing but speculative and false.” The government stressed its impartial role as a facilitator of dialogue, providing routine logistical support with transparency. A statement reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to peace, stability, and de-escalation in the region.
According to the same American officials cited by CBS News, Iran also sent civilian aircraft to park in neighboring Afghanistan. An Afghan civil aviation officer told CBS that one aircraft landed in Kabul before the war began and was later moved to an airport near the border area for safety when Pakistan began airstrikes on Kabul in March. A Taliban spokesperson has denied the claims, stating that Iran does not need to do that.
Commenting on the CBS report, Senator Lindsey Graham said that if the reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of Pakistan’s role as mediator between Iran, the United States, and third parties. He added that given some past remarks by Pakistani defense officials toward Israel, he would not be shocked if the claims were true.