Pakistan allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields, possibly shielding them from American airstrikes, a new report said, citing US officials aware of the developments.
The ceasefire between the US and Iran has mostly held since April 8, but face-to-face negotiations between the two sides, held in Pakistan last month, did not yield a deal to end the conflict that started on February 28.
Iran responded to a US peace proposal aimed at ending the war in West Asia, demanding compensation for war-related damage and an end to the US naval blockade.
US President Donald Trump rejected the proposal, calling Iran’s response “totally unacceptable”.
Pakistan allowed Iran to park military aircraft on its airfields, possibly shielding them from American airstrikes, CBS News reported, citing American officials familiar with the matter.
The aircraft reportedly included an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a surveillance and intelligence-gathering variant of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport plane.
A senior Pakistani official dismissed the claims related to Nur Khan Air Base, saying it was impossible to hide a large fleet of aircraft from the public eye.
US senator Lindsey Graham said Pakistan’s role as a mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties would need a “complete reevaluation” if the claims were found to be true.
