Islamabad Rejects CBS News; Says The Aircraft Arrived For Diplomacy, Not Protection But Washington Is Asking Questions And Lindsey Graham Is Already Talking About A “Complete Reevaluation”
This article was compiled and made possible with the help of the following source(s): Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arab News, The Express Tribune, Iran International, ARY News and Geo News.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office went on the offensive on May 12, 2026, categorically rejecting a CBS News report regarding the presence of Iranian aircraft at Nur Khan Airbase in Rawalpindi, describing it as misleading and sensationalized.
The CBS report, published Monday and citing two unnamed US officials, alleged that Pakistan had quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airfields, potentially to shield them from American airstrikes. Among the aircraft identified was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a surveillance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office clarified that following the US-Iran ceasefire and during the initial round of Islamabad Talks, a number of aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived in Pakistan to facilitate the movement of diplomatic personnel, security teams and administrative staff associated with the talks process.
Sources noted that American aircraft and security teams also flew into Pakistan for expected follow-up engagements, though US personnel and aircraft were later relocated to regional American bases after a few days.
“The Iranian aircraft currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and bear no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement,” the Foreign Office stated. “Assertions suggesting otherwise are speculative, misleading, and entirely detached from the factual context.”
A senior Pakistani official rejected the claims directly to CBS News, pointing to the base’s location as evidence against concealment: “Nur Khan base is right in the heart of the city. A large fleet of aircraft parked there cannot be hidden from the public eye.”
The stakes of the accusation are significant. US Senator Lindsey Graham said Pakistan’s position in negotiations involving Iran, the United States and other stakeholders would need a “complete reevaluation” if the claims were accurate.
Pakistan’s credibility as a neutral mediator between Washington and Tehran may now be part of the story, whether it wants it to be or not, thanks to CBS News and other sources following up to the breaking news. Like this Pakistan-focused article? Read our previous article here.
