Pakistan rejected a CBS News report stating that Iranian military aircraft were parked at the Nur Khan Air Base in Rawalpindi [1, 2].
The denial comes as Pakistan seeks to maintain a neutral diplomatic position amid escalating tensions between Iran and the U.S. [1, 2]. Any confirmation of secret military cooperation with Tehran could jeopardize Pakistan's strategic relationships with Washington.
Government officials said the report was misleading and baseless [1, 2]. The controversy centers on allegations that Pakistan allowed Iranian aircraft to use its airfields to protect them from potential U.S. strikes [3, 4].
According to reports from Middle East Eye and Al Arabiya, the CBS report alleged that these aircraft were hosted specifically at the Nur Khan Air Base [1, 3]. However, Pakistani officials said they did not allow any Iranian military aircraft on their airfields [1].
Other outlets, including OneIndia, noted that a U.S. official claimed Pakistan secretly assisted Iran in safeguarding its military assets [4]. Pakistan said these claims are an attempt to misrepresent its foreign policy and security protocols [1, 2].
The Pakistani government has not provided specific evidence to refute the report beyond the official denial, while the U.S. official's claims remain a point of contention between the reporting agencies and the state [4].
“Pakistan rejected a CBS News report that claimed Iranian military aircraft were parked at Nur Khan Air Base”
This dispute highlights the precarious balancing act Pakistan must perform between its neighbors and global superpowers. By firmly denying the presence of Iranian aircraft, Islamabad is attempting to signal to the U.S. that it is not providing a sanctuary for Iranian military assets, which would be viewed as a violation of strategic norms and a risk to its own security cooperation with the West.
