Did Pakistan cross the line in US-Iran mediation? Here’s what Islamabad did

Washington DC: Pakistan’s role as a mediator between the United States and Iran has come under scrutiny after a CBS report, citing US officials, claimed that Islamabad allowed Iranian military aircraft to be parked at its airfields during the recent escalation between the two countries.

According to the report, US officials believe the aircraft movement may have helped shield Iranian military assets from possible American airstrikes. The claims have added a new layer of tension around Pakistan’s positioning as a neutral broker in regional diplomacy.

Aircraft movement after ceasefire announcement

Two unnamed US officials told CBS News that after US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran moved several aircraft into Pakistan’s Nur Khan Air Base.

Among the reported military assets was an Iranian Air Force RC-130, a reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering aircraft based on the Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport platform.

The officials also said civilian aircraft were sent to Afghanistan for parking, though it is unclear whether any military aircraft were part of those movements.

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A senior Pakistani official has rejected the allegations. However, an Afghan civil aviation officer told CBS News that an Iranian civilian aircraft operated by Mahan Air had landed in Kabul shortly before the war began.

Afghanistan’s Taliban administration has denied any such activity. Taliban spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid told CBS News, “No, that's not true and Iran doesn't need to do that.”

US lawmakers question Pakistan’s role

The report has triggered political reactions in Washington. US Senator Lindsey Graham questioned Islamabad’s conduct and called for a reassessment of its role in regional diplomacy.

“If this reporting is accurate, it would require a complete reevaluation of the role Pakistan is playing as mediator between Iran, the United States and other parties. Given some of the prior statements by Pakistani defense officials towards Israel, I would not be shocked if this were true,” he said.

His remarks have added pressure on US policymakers to reassess Pakistan’s involvement in mediation efforts between Iran and Western powers.

Iran says nuclear talks not open for negotiation

Meanwhile, diplomatic developments continue on the Iran side. Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported that Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran (AEOI), briefed lawmakers that nuclear technology and uranium enrichment are not part of any potential negotiation with the United States.

The briefing was presented before Parliament’s Foreign Policy and National Security Committee. Committee spokesperson Ebrahim Rezaei said after the meeting, “According to the head of the Atomic Energy Organisation (of Iran), the issue of nuclear technology is not on the agenda of the negotiations (with the United States) and enrichment is not negotiable,” as reported by Press TV.

Eslami also stressed that any negotiation with Washington would deal only with ending the ongoing conflict in the region, not Iran’s nuclear programme.

Trump rejects Iran’s proposal

At the same time, political tensions escalated further after Trump rejected Iran’s latest proposal for ending the conflict. Speaking from the Oval Office, he described Iran’s response as unacceptable.

“After reading that piece of garbage they sent us, I didn't even finish reading it. They (Iran) are on life support. The ceasefire is on massive life support,” he said.

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Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei had earlier described Tehran’s proposal as reasonable, but Washington dismissed it outright.

As competing claims, military concerns and diplomatic statements continue to emerge from all sides, the role of regional actors such as Pakistan is now being examined more carefully in an already fragile geopolitical situation.