Iran relocates military aircraft to bases in Pakistan and Afghanistan amid rising strikes

The real story here is narrower than the headline makes it sound. What surfaced this week is a report that Pakistan let Iranian military aircraft park at Nur Khan Air Base during the recent U.S.-Iran crisis, while Pakistan was also trying to mediate between Tehran and Washington. Pakistan flatly denied that version. And the Afghanistan part looks even less settled — there are reports of Iranian civilian aircraft there, but not solid public proof of military planes. ### What actually got reported? The core report came from CBS News on May 12, 2026. It said U.S. officials with knowledge of the matter believed Pakistan quietly allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields, potentially to keep them out of reach of American strikes. The specific base named in follow-on coverage is Nur Khan, near Rawalpindi and Islamabad. (cbsnews.com) ### Why does Nur Khan matter? Nur Khan is not some obscure strip in the desert. It is a major Pakistani military air base in a dense, politically sensitive area near the capital. That matters because moving foreign military aircraft there would not look like a casual refueling stop. It would look like a deliberate decision by Pakistan’s state and military apparatus. That is why the allegation hit so hard. (cbsnews.com) ### Did Pakistan admit any of this? No — but it did admit Iranian aircraft were in Pakistan in some form. Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the CBS account was “misleading and sensationalized.” Its explanation was that, after the ceasefire and during the first round of the Islamabad talks, aircraft from both Iran and the United States arrived to move diplomatic personnel, security teams, and administrative staff. It also said some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan while later talks were still possible. (indianexpress.com) ### So is the denial a full denial? Not really. That is the catch. Pakistan denied the implication that it was sheltering Iranian military assets from U.S. attack, but its own statement leaves room for Iranian aircraft physically being there. The dispute is over purpose and status — diplomatic support versus military sanctuary. That is a big difference politically, but a smaller difference if you are looking at satellite imagery of an Iranian aircraft on a Pakistani base. (mofa.gov.pk) ### What about Afghanistan? This is where the original claim starts to wobble. Multiple follow-up reports say U.S. officials believed Iran flew civilian aircraft into Afghanistan before the fighting intensified. But even those accounts say it was unclear whether military aircraft were part of that movement. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid also denied that Iranian aircraft were being sheltered there. So the Afghanistan leg is possible, but publicly it looks unproven. (mofa.gov.pk) ### Has any imagery backed the Pakistan claim? Some outlets say fresh satellite imagery appears to show an Iranian Air Force C-130 at Nur Khan. That does not settle every question — one aircraft does not prove a broader relocation program — but it does strengthen the narrower claim that at least one Iranian military aircraft was present at the base. The imagery-based reporting is still moving, so this part should be treated as emerging, not final. (businesstoday.in) ### Why is this such a big deal? Because Pakistan was presenting itself as a go-between. If it was simultaneously giving Iran’s military aircraft protected parking, Washington will read that as hedging at best and deception at worst. And if Iran really did disperse aircraft beyond its borders, even on a limited basis, that shows Tehran was worried enough about follow-on strikes to move valuable assets out of the blast radius. (ndtv.com) ### Bottom line The strongest version of the story is this: U.S. officials say Iranian military aircraft used a Pakistani air base, and Pakistan says those flights were tied to diplomacy, not protection. The Afghanistan claim is much weaker in public evidence. So the headline is probably too broad. The Pakistan piece is the live issue. (cbsnews.com)