Pakistan rejects claims Iranian military aircraft were sheltered from possible US strikes
By Tahir Shah :
Pakistani officials have dismissed reports suggesting that Iranian military aircraft were stationed at a Pakistani airbase to protect them from possible United States strikes, describing the claims as misleading and based on a misinterpretation of routine diplomatic arrangements.
The clarification followed reports circulating on social media and a claim attributed to CBS News alleging that several Iranian aircraft had been parked at Nur Khan Airbase after last month’s ceasefire in the Gulf conflict.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the temporary presence of a small number of Iranian aircraft at the airbase was connected to diplomatic and logistical arrangements linked to talks between Tehran and Washington that were facilitated through Islamabad.
Officials said the aircraft carried diplomatic staff and security personnel associated with discussions aimed at easing regional tensions following the ceasefire.
“The parking of a few Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase has been exaggerated and wrongly interpreted,” sources familiar with the process said.
They explained that during the initial phase of negotiations, aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan transporting officials, diplomatic representatives and support teams.
According to the sources, some Iranian aircraft remained in Pakistan after the first round of discussions because further diplomatic engagements were anticipated.
Officials also noted that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi visited Islamabad twice after the initial talks, with existing security and administrative arrangements supporting those visits.
Sources added that American aircraft and security teams had also travelled to Pakistan during the same period in preparation for possible follow-up negotiations, although US personnel were later relocated to regional American facilities.
Pakistani officials stressed that Islamabad had acted as a neutral intermediary and had provided equal logistical support to both sides during the diplomatic process.
They said Pakistan maintained transparency with both Tehran and Washington throughout the negotiations and continued to coordinate closely with both governments whenever questions or concerns arose.
Rejecting suggestions that the Iranian aircraft were being hidden from military action, officials pointed out that the aircraft arrived during a ceasefire period and not while active hostilities were underway.
“No Iranian aircraft were targeted by the US during the ceasefire period, including inside Iran itself,” sources said, arguing that linking the aircraft’s presence in Pakistan to protection from airstrikes was without basis.
Officials accused some media outlets and commentators of sensationalising what they described as a standard diplomatic and logistical arrangement tied to ongoing mediation efforts.
Pakistan has in recent months sought to position itself as a facilitator of dialogue between Tehran and Washington amid wider regional tensions and conflict in the Gulf.
Officials reiterated that Islamabad remained committed to supporting diplomatic engagement and peaceful negotiations aimed at reducing instability in the region.
Analysts note that Pakistan has historically maintained relations with both Iran and the United States, often attempting to balance regional diplomacy while avoiding direct involvement in broader geopolitical confrontations.
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