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Pakistan allowed Iran to park military aircraft on its airfields ...
By Sami Yousafzai Updated on: May 12, 2026 / 5:40 AM EDT / CBS News Add CBS News on Google Washington — As Pakistan positioned itself as a diplomatic conduit between Tehran and Washington, it quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields, potentially shielding them from American airstrikes, according to U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter. Iran also sent civilian aircraft to park in neighboring Afghanistan. It was not clear if military aircraft were among those flights, two of the officials told CBS News. Together, the movements reflected an apparent effort to insulate some of Iran's remaining military and aviation assets from the expanding conflict, even as officials publicly served as brokers for de-escalation. The U.S. officials, who all spoke only under condition of anonymity to discuss national security issues, told CBS News that days after President Trump announced the ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan, a strategically important military installation located just outside the Pakistani garrison city of Rawalpindi. Among the military hardware was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft. U.S. Central Command referred CBS News to Afghan and Pakistani officials for comment. A senior Pakistan official rejected the claims involving Nur Khan Air Base, telling CBS News, that "Nur Khan base is right in the heart of [the] city, a large fleet of aircrafts parked there can't be hidden from [the] public eye." On Tuesday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement confirmed Iranian planes were in the country."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 statement said.The agency said a number of aircraft from Iran were there to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel and security teams if further peace talks were scheduled. "Although formal negotiations have not yet resumed, senior-level diplomatic exchanges have continued," the statement said.The ministry said Pakistan has consistently acted as an impartial facilitator and has been transparent with "all relevant parties." According to an Afghan civil aviation offic...
Pakistan Let Iran Park Military Aircraft On Its Airfield Despite ...
Even as Pakistan publicly positioned itself as a diplomatic intermediary between Tehran and Washington during the recent conflict between Iran and the United States, US officials have alleged that Islamabad quietly permitted Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields, potentially protecting them from possible American strikes. Iran also transferred civilian aircraft to neighbouring Afghanistan as the conflict escalated, CBS News reported, citing US officials familiar with the matter. Two officials told CBS News it remained unclear whether military aircraft were among the flights sent to Afghanistan. The reported movements appeared aimed at safeguarding portions of Iran’s military and aviation infrastructure amid the widening confrontation, while regional actors simultaneously pursued efforts to prevent further escalation. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of national security matters, told CBS News that several days after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran dispatched multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan near Rawalpindi. Among the aircraft reportedly stationed there was an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance plane, a surveillance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft. US Central Command declined to comment directly on the allegations and referred CBS News to Pakistani and Afghan authorities. A senior Pakistani official rejected the claims involving Nur Khan Air Base, telling CBS News that "Nur Khan base is right in the heart of [the] city, a large fleet of aircrafts parked there can't be hidden from [the] public eye." ALSO READ: Trump Says Iran Ceasefire On ‘Massive Life Support’; Calls Tehran Response ‘Piece Of Garbage’ Afghan Official Details Iranian Aircraft Movement An Afghan civil aviation official told CBS News that an Iranian civilian aircraft operated by Mahan Air landed in Kabul shortly before the conflict began and remained there after Iranian airspace was shut down. According to the official, Taliban authorities later relocated the aircraft to Herat Airport near the Iranian border after Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul in March amid heightened tensions with Afghanistan’s Taliban-led administration. Pakistan had accused the Afghan Taliban of providing sanctuary to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan militants. The aviation official said Taliban civil aviation authorities decided to mov...
Pakistan Sheltered Iranian Warplanes During Recent US-Iran Crisis ...
Pakistan quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airfields during the recent U.S.-Iran showdown while simultaneously acting as a diplomatic intermediary between Washington and ...
Despite mediating in US-Iran war, Pakistan allowed Iranian aircraft use ...
Pakistan News: Pakistan allegedly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airbases to shield them from potential American airstrikes despite positioning its.
