Pakistan’s Airbases Used to Park Iranian Aircraft During Rising US-Iran Tensions: Report
US media report alleges Iranian military planes were stationed at Pakistani airfields during the conflict, prompting political reactions in Washington and renewed questions over Islamabad’s balancing strategy in the region.
Washington, May 12: Pakistan has come under fresh international attention after a US media report claimed that Iranian military aircraft were temporarily stationed at Pakistani airbases during the recent US-Iran conflict to avoid possible American strikes.
According to a report by CBS News quoting unnamed US officials, several Iranian aircraft, including a reconnaissance and intelligence plane, were allegedly moved to Pakistan’s Nur Khan Airbase shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire in April. The conflict between Washington and Tehran, which erupted on February 28, has remained paused since April 8 following diplomatic intervention efforts.
The report further alleged that some Iranian civilian aircraft were also relocated outside Iran during the hostilities. Afghan aviation officials reportedly told CBS News that an aircraft belonging to Iran’s Mahan Air landed in Kabul before the closure of Iranian airspace and was later shifted to Herat near the Iranian border.
The allegations triggered political reactions in the United States, with Republican Senator Lindsey Graham calling for a reassessment of Pakistan’s role in regional diplomacy.
“If these reports are accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of Pakistan’s role as a mediator between Iran, the United States and other stakeholders,” Graham said in a statement posted on social media platform X. He also referred to previous remarks made by Pakistani defence officials regarding Israel, suggesting the allegations would not be entirely surprising if proven true.
Pakistani authorities, however, strongly denied the claims linked to Nur Khan Airbase. A senior Pakistani official told CBS News that the airbase is located in a densely populated urban area and that the presence of multiple foreign military aircraft could not have remained hidden from public view.
The controversy comes at a sensitive time for Islamabad, which has attempted to maintain diplomatic engagement with both Washington and Tehran while also preserving its strategic ties with China. Analysts believe Pakistan is trying to avoid alienating either side amid growing instability in the region.
The CBS report also highlighted Pakistan’s expanding military dependence on China. Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reportedly showed that China supplied nearly 80 percent of Pakistan’s major arms imports between 2020 and 2024.
Observers say Islamabad’s position reflects a broader regional balancing act as tensions among the United States, Iran and China continue to shape geopolitical developments across South Asia and the Middle East.
