Pakistan reportedly allowed Iranian aircraft to park at its airbases during the recent conflict involving the United States and Iran, according to a report by CBS News citing senior US officials.

The report said Iran moved some aircraft to protect them from possible US attacks. At the same time, Pakistan publicly continued to project itself as a mediator between Washington and Tehran.

Iran Allegedly Shifted Aircraft to Pakistan and Afghanistan

According to the report, Tehran also sent a civilian aircraft to neighbouring Afghanistan after the conflict began. Officials reportedly believe Iran shifted the aircraft to secure some of its remaining aviation and military assets as regional tensions escalated.

However, officials have not confirmed whether military aircraft were also moved to Afghanistan.

Aircraft Reportedly Parked at Nur Khan Airbase

The report claimed Iran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan shortly after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in April.

One of the aircraft was reportedly an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance plane. The aircraft is an intelligence-gathering version of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules tactical transport aircraft.

Iranian Civilian Aircraft Reportedly Landed in Kabul

An Afghan civil aviation official told CBS News that a civilian aircraft belonging to Mahan Air landed in Kabul shortly after the conflict started in February.

The report said the aircraft stayed there after Iran closed its airspace.

Later, tensions increased between Pakistan and the Taliban-led Afghan government. Pakistan carried out airstrikes in Kabul in March after accusing the Afghan Taliban of sheltering members of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan.

Following the strikes, Taliban civil aviation authorities reportedly shifted the Iranian aircraft from Kabul Airport to Herat Airport near the Iranian border. Officials reportedly took the step to protect the aircraft from possible Pakistani bombing.

Pakistan and Taliban Deny the Report

Officials from Pakistan and Afghanistan rejected the claims.

A Pakistani official dismissed the report and said, “Nur Khan base is right in the heart of [the] city, a large fleet of aircrafts parked there can’t be hidden from [the] public eye.”

Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid also denied that Iranian aircraft were parked at Afghan airbases.

“No, that’s not true and Iran doesn’t need to do that,” he said.

Report Adds to Regional Tensions

The report has added fresh attention to Pakistan’s role during the ongoing regional crisis.

Although officials denied the allegations, the claims have further complicated the already tense geopolitical situation involving Iran, the United States, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.