FO rejects claims of sheltering Iranian aircraft

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 shield them from potential American strikes, terming the story "misleading and sensationalised".

In a detailed statement, the Foreign Office 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 regarding the presence of Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase as misleading and sensationalised," the Foreign Office spokesperson said.

The statement said that after the ceasefire and during the initial round of the "Islamabad Talks," aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams and administrative staff involved in the negotiations process.

According to the Foreign Office, some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of further rounds of engagement, even though formal negotiations have yet to resume.

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 airbases despite publicly portraying itself as a diplomatic intermediary between Tehran and Washington.

The CBS report claimed that multiple 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 alleged that the move was intended to protect Iranian aviation assets from possible US airstrikes during heightened tensions in the Middle East.

Rejecting those assertions, the Foreign Office maintained that the aircraft currently parked in Pakistan "bear no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement," adding: "Assertions suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context."

Islamabad also stressed that Pakistan has acted as an "impartial, constructive and responsible facilitator" in efforts aimed at reducing tensions between Iran and the United States.

The Foreign Office disclosed that despite the pause in formal negotiations, senior-level diplomatic contacts had continued and the recent visits of the Iranian foreign minister to Islamabad were facilitated through existing logistical arrangements tied to the talks process.

Pakistan has played an increasingly visible mediatory 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 the diplomatic efforts and Pakistan's constructive role to bring an end to the war through mediation.

However, Pakistani officials insist 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 advancing regional and global peace, stability, and security," the Foreign Office said.