ISLAMABAD:
Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected a report by US broadcaster CBS News claiming that Iranian military aircraft were parked at the strategically important Nur Khan Airbase to protect them from potential US attacks, calling the story “misleading and sensational”.
In a detailed statement, the Foreign Ministry said the presence of Iranian aircraft in Pakistan was linked to diplomatic engagements and the ongoing peace efforts between Tehran and Washington following the ceasefire announced earlier this year.
“Pakistan categorically rejects the CBS News report on the presence of Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase as misleading and sensational,” the foreign ministry spokesman said.
The statement said that after the ceasefire and during the initial round of the “Islamabad Talks”, planes from both Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams and administrative personnel involved in the negotiation process.
According to the State Department, some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of further rounds of engagement, although formal negotiations have not yet resumed.
The clarification came a day after CBS News, citing unnamed US officials, reported that Pakistan had quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at Pakistani air bases despite publicly portraying itself as a diplomatic intermediary between Tehran and Washington.
The CBS report claimed that several Iranian aircraft, including an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance aircraft, were moved to Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi shortly after President Trump announced a ceasefire in early April.
The report further claimed that the move was aimed at protecting Iranian aviation assets from possible US airstrikes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East.
The State Department denied these claims, maintaining that the aircraft, currently parked in Pakistan, “has no connection whatsoever to any military readiness or conservation arrangement,” adding: “Claims suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading and completely divorced from the factual context.”
Islamabad also stressed that Pakistan has acted as an “impartial, constructive and responsible facilitator” in efforts to reduce tensions between Iran and the United States.
The State Department revealed that despite the hiatus in formal talks, high-level diplomatic contacts had continued and recent visits by the Iranian foreign minister to Islamabad were facilitated through existing logistical arrangements linked to the talks.
Pakistan has played an increasingly visible mediating role in backchannel diplomacy between Tehran and Washington since the outbreak of the recent US-Iran crisis. Last month, Islamabad hosted unprecedented high-level talks involving senior US and Iranian officials aimed at preserving a fragile ceasefire and preventing further escalation in the region.
The CBS report, according to observers, appears to be aimed at undermining diplomatic efforts and Pakistan’s constructive role in bringing an end to the war through mediation.
However, Pakistani officials insist that the country remains committed to supporting dialogue and de-escalation efforts. “Pakistan remains committed to supporting all sincere efforts aimed at promoting dialogue, reducing tensions and promoting regional and global peace, stability and security,” the foreign ministry said.
