ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday firmly denied a CBS News report that claimed Iranian military aircraft were allowed to park at Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan near Rawalpindi to avoid potential US airstrikes, calling the allegations “baseless and misleading”.
In an official response issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Islamabad said the CBS report mischaracterised Pakistan’s position and ignored ground realities. “Nur Khan base is right in the heart of city, a large fleet of aircraft parked there can’t be hidden from public eye,” a senior Pakistani official told CBS News, rejecting claims that Iranian planes were secretly stationed at the facility.
Pakistan allowed Iran to park military aircraft on its airfields: US media
It may be recalled that the CBS report, citing unnamed US officials, alleged that Iran moved “multiple aircraft” to Nur Khan Air Base shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire in early April. The aircraft reportedly included an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The report further claimed Iran also moved a civilian Mahan Air aircraft to Kabul, Afghanistan, before the war began.
The allegations come as Pakistan has been projecting itself as a diplomatic intermediary between Washington and Tehran amid heightened US-Iran tensions. CBS quoted US officials as saying the aircraft movements appeared aimed at protecting Iran’s remaining aviation assets from potential American strikes.
Pakistani officials stressed that Islamabad has publicly condemned US strikes on Iran and maintains that no foreign military aircraft are being sheltered on its soil. The Foreign Office has previously stated that claims of US aircraft operating from Pakistan “are purely disinformation”.
The Foreign Office said “following the ceasefire and during the initial round of the Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff associated with the talks process. Some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement.”
The spokesperson said although formal negotiations have not yet resumed, senior-level diplomatic exchanges have continued. In this context, visits by the Iranian Foreign Minister to Islamabad were facilitated through the existing logistical and administrative arrangements.
“The Iranian aircraft currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and bear no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement. Assertions suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context,” the spokesperson said, adding that “Pakistan has consistently acted as an impartial, constructive, and responsible facilitator in support of dialogue and de-escalation. In line with this role, Pakistan has extended routine logistical and administrative support where required, while maintaining full transparency and regular communication with all relevant parties.”
