CBS reveals Pakistan sheltering Iranian military aircraft: During the ceasefire, aircraft were parked at the Naurhang base to avoid U.S. airstrikes

CBS News May 12 exposed that soon after Trump announced a U.S.-Iran ceasefire on April 8, Pakistan allowed multiple Iranian military aircraft to be parked at Nur Khan Air Force Base (Rawalpindi) on the outskirts of Rawalpindi plain, in order to avoid possible U.S. air strikes. According to CBS News, Pakistan also played a role externally as a mediator between the U.S. and Iran, and the dual positioning raised questions in Washington.

The event itself: Nur Khan base, RC-130 reconnaissance aircraft, days after the ceasefire

CBS cited information from anonymous U.S. officials and revealed several key details:

Location: Nur Khan Air Force Base, a Pakistan strategic-level military facility, located on the perimeter outside the Rawalpindi plain near the capital Islamabad

Aircraft: including 1 Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance aircraft (converted from the Lockheed C-130 Hercules, used for electronic reconnaissance and intelligence collection)

Timing: “within a few days” after Trump announced the U.S.-Iran ceasefire on April 8, Iranian military aircraft began being parked in Pakistan

Motive assessment: anonymous U.S. officials believed the shared purpose of these moves was to keep Iranian military aircraft out of the potential range of U.S. air strike attacks

In the same period, CBS also noted that Iran moved some civilian aircraft (such as Mahan Air) to Kabul Airport in Afghanistan, and after Pakistan launched airstrikes on Kabul in March, it further moved these civilian aircraft to Herat Airport closer to the Iranian border for safety.

Pakistan’s response: confirmed the existence of aircraft, denied military arrangements

Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to CBS: “The Iranian aircraft currently parked within Pakistan are those that arrived during the ceasefire period, and have nothing to do with any military emergencies or protective arrangements.” The ministry also added that although formal negotiations have not resumed, “high-level diplomatic exchanges are ongoing.”

Breaking down the diplomatic wording, Pakistan’s position is: acknowledging that the aircraft physically exist within Pakistan, but framing them as “related to diplomatic activities,” denying any arrangements intended to protect Iranian military equipment. The problem with this explanation is that it is difficult to explain why purely military aircraft such as the RC-130 reconnaissance aircraft are included in the scope of “diplomatic activities.”

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) told CBS it would not comment directly and referred the matter to Afghan and Pakistani authorities. On May 11, Trump himself said he would reject Iran’s latest peace proposal, calling it “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE,” and describing the current ceasefire as being in a condition of “large-scale life support.”

Market and regional implications

This media outlet’s observation: this disclosure has three layers of significance for the market.

First layer: persistent geopolitical risk premium. After the April 8 U.S.-Iran ceasefire was established, there were multiple instances of borderline conflicts in early May (including Iran firing 15 missiles at the UAE, U.S. forces sinking 6 fast boats, etc.). Combined with questions about Pakistan’s role, the credibility of the ceasefire further declines. Brent crude oil prices had already broken above $103 on May 11; if the ceasefire falls apart, oil prices still have room to move higher.

Second layer: Pakistan’s dual role is laid bare. Over the past one month, Pakistan’s “diplomatic mediator” image has been discounted by accusations that it is “quietly sheltering” Iranian military aircraft. Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and other strategic hawks may use this incident to push the U.S. government to reassess its cooperation with Pakistan. The influence could extend to multiple areas, including counterterrorism intelligence cooperation, IMF assistance conditions, and F-16 maintenance contracts.

Third layer: continuation of crypto and safe-haven asset performance. Since May, BTC has been fluctuating around $80k, while gold has remained near historical highs. Geopolitical uncertainty is the key narrative supporting these two types of safe-haven assets. Investors may watch whether, over the next one to two weeks, if the U.S. takes concrete actions against Pakistan (such as sanctions or pausing military aid), it will further increase safe-haven demand.

Events to watch next include: whether the U.S. State Department and CENTCOM will make any public statements about Pakistan; whether Pakistan will drive Iranian aircraft out of its territory; the subsequent developments of Iranian military aircraft such as the RC-130; and whether CBS’s disclosure will prompt U.S. congressional hearings or discussions of sanctions legislation.

This article: CBS reveals Pakistan shelters Iranian military aircraft—aircraft parked at Nur Khan base during the ceasefire to avoid U.S. air strikes first appeared on Lian News ABMedia.