ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly rejected a report by US-based media outlet CBS News regarding the alleged presence of Iranian military aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase, calling the claims “misleading, speculative, and sensationalised.”
In an official statement, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) clarified that the aircraft referenced in the report were linked to ongoing diplomatic engagements connected with ceasefire and dialogue efforts between Iran and the United States.
According to the ministry, several Iranian and American aircraft arrived in Pakistan following the ceasefire and during the initial phase of the Islamabad Talks to facilitate the movement of diplomatic officials, security teams, and administrative personnel involved in the peace process.
The Foreign Office explained that some aircraft and support staff remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of further rounds of diplomatic engagement.
“Although formal negotiations have not yet resumed, senior-level diplomatic exchanges have continued,” the statement said.
The ministry added that recent visits by the Iranian foreign minister to Islamabad were facilitated through the same logistical and administrative arrangements already in place.
Pakistan clarified that the Iranian aircraft currently stationed in the country arrived during the ceasefire period and had “no connection whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement.”
The statement stressed that any suggestion linking the aircraft to military preparations or efforts to shield them from potential airstrikes was “speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context.”
Pakistan also reiterated its role as an impartial and constructive facilitator working to support dialogue, de-escalation, and regional peace efforts.
The ministry stated that Pakistan had extended only routine logistical and administrative assistance where required and maintained “full transparency and regular communication with all relevant parties.”
The Foreign Office further emphasized that Pakistan remains committed to promoting dialogue and reducing tensions in the region amid ongoing instability linked to the Iran-US conflict.
The clarification followed a CBS News report published Monday alleging that Pakistan had quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to remain on Pakistani airfields, potentially protecting them from possible American airstrikes.
The report cited unnamed US officials familiar with the matter.
Separately, claims circulating on social media platform X alleged that multiple Iranian aircraft, including a reconnaissance version of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, had been parked at Nur Khan Airbase after the ceasefire announcement last month.
Pakistan, however, dismissed those allegations and maintained that all arrangements were strictly connected to diplomatic facilitation and ongoing mediation efforts.
