Pakistan calls CBS report on Iranian jets at airbase ‘misleading’

Pakistan Rejects CBS Report on Iranian Aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Tuesday dismissed a CBS News report alleging that Iran parked military aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi to shield them from potential American airstrikes, calling the claims “misleading and sensationalised” and warning they could undermine ongoing peace efforts in the region.dawn

The rebuke came after CBS News reported on Sunday, citing anonymous U.S. officials, that Tehran had sent multiple aircraft — including an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance plane, a surveillance variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules — to the strategically located airbase days after President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April.cbsnews

Pakistan’s Response

In its statement, the Foreign Office said the aircraft arrived during the ceasefire period as part of routine diplomatic logistics tied to the Islamabad Talks, the U.S.-Iran negotiations hosted by Pakistan on April 11 and 12. Aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to transport diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff, the statement said, adding that some aircraft remained temporarily in anticipation of further rounds of engagement.wikipedia

“The Iranian aircraft currently stationed in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire and have no connection to any military contingency or preservation arrangement,” the Foreign Office said, according to Dawn. “Claims suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and completely disconnected from the factual context.”dawn

Pakistani officials familiar with the matter echoed this position, noting that U.S. aircraft and personnel were also present at the airbase during the same period before relocating to regional bases. A senior Pakistani official separately told CBS News that claims of hidden aircraft were implausible because the base sits “right in the heart of the city” where “a large fleet of aircraft parked there can’t be hidden from the public eye”.ndtv

Washington Reaction

The CBS report has drawn sharp reactions in Washington. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham called for a reassessment of Pakistan’s diplomatic role in the crisis, and U.S. lawmakers questioned Islamabad’s neutrality. The report also noted that Iran had sent civilian aircraft to neighboring Afghanistan, with an Afghan civil aviation official confirming that a Mahan Air plane had landed in Kabul shortly before the war began and remained parked after Iranian airspace closed.indiatimes

Context of the Dispute

Pakistan mediated the ceasefire announced on April 8 between the United States and Iran following a conflict that erupted on February 28. It subsequently hosted the first round of direct talks and has continued to facilitate diplomatic exchanges, including visits by Iran’s foreign minister. While formal negotiations have not yet resumed, Pakistan has maintained it acted as an impartial facilitator, providing equal logistical support to both sides throughout the process.x