Pakistan’s ‘Denial’ Backfires: Did Islamabad Just Admit Sheltering Iran’s Warplanes?

Pakistan seems to have shot itself in the foot after it officially confirmed that it has permitted Iranian military aircraft to utilise its strategic airbases amidst the recent conflict between the US and the Islamic Republic in West Asia.

Amid scrutiny over its role as the mediator in the negotiations between the two sides over reports that suggested Pakistan was letting Tehran use its airbases during the conflict, an official statement from the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Tuesday attempted to "categorically reject" the news report that exposed the presence of Iranian aircraft at the Nur Khan Airbase.

However, the statement inadvertently confirms the core of the allegations that Iranian military planes are indeed parked on Pakistani soil.

"The Iranian aircraft currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and bears no linkage whatsoever to any military contingency or preservation arrangement," the statement claimed.

This comes after recent reports by CBS News put Islamabad's mediation role under scrutiny, claiming that the country quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to use its airfields, possibly shielding them from American airstrikes during the conflict.

Did Pakistan Support Iran While Maintaining Ties With the United States?

According to CBS News, citing two US officials, Pakistan had acted in support of Iran during the conflict while simultaneously attempting to maintain favourable ties with the United States.

While attempting to frame the presence of the aircraft as purely "logistical" and "administrative" support for diplomatic talks, the confirmation validates the reports that Islamabad is actively sheltering Iranian military assets from potential US strikes during the conflict.

Two US officials told CBS News that days after Trump had announced the ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan's Nur Khan Air Base.

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.

"A number of aircraft from 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,” the MoFA statement read.

“Some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement," the MoFA admitted, failing to explain why Iranian military reconnaissance planes, such as the RC-130, require long-term "parking" at a high-security military installation.

By providing a safe haven for these assets, Islamabad has abandoned its facade of impartial mediation, and instead, it appears to be acting as a strategic shield for Tehran, potentially placing Pakistani soil in the crosshairs of the conflict.

(With inputs from ANI)