Pakistan Denies Sheltering Iranian Jets from US Strikes, Ceasefire ‘Hanging by a Thread’
Abid Hussain
Pakistan has denied allegations it sheltered Iranian jets from US strikes, as a fragile ceasefire mediated by Islamabad between Washington and Tehran appears to be falling apart. President Donald Trump called the truce ‘hanging by a thread’ and described Iran’s latest peace proposal as unacceptable. Both sides remain deadlocked over core issues including Iran’s nuclear programme and US sanctions.
Pakistan rejects military assistance allegations from Iran
Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry on May 12 denied allegations that the country is shielding Iranian military aircraft from potential US strikes, as a fragile ceasefire mediated by Islamabad between Washington and Tehran faces rising risks. The denial came after President Donald Trump said the one-month truce is “hanging by a thread” and dismissed Iran’s latest peace proposal as “garbage” that he had not even finished reading. Trump’s comments followed a May 11 CBS News report that Iran moved some military jets to Pakistan’s Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi after an April 8 ceasefire, possibly to avoid US attacks.
The Foreign Ministry called the report “misleading and sensational,” insisting the aircraft arrived at the base as part of diplomatic logistics related to April talks in Islamabad. Pakistan said both Iranian and US planes have used the facility. “The Iranian aircraft currently parked in Pakistan arrived during the ceasefire period and have nothing to do with any military situation or custodial arrangement,” the statement said.
Washington uneasy
Still, the denial did little to quell US unease. One CNN report said some Trump administration officials believe Pakistan shared “a more positive version of Iran’s stance with the US than the reality,” and questioned whether Islamabad was “forcefully conveying Trump’s displeasure.” A Pakistani official told Al Jazeera that Islamabad has dealt directly with both sides as a neutral mediator. “The goal is to resolve this complex, historic conflict rather than chase score points or headline-grabbing diplomacy,” the unnamed official said.
US Senator Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally, called for a “complete re-evaluation” of Pakistan’s mediation role. Analysts suggest the controversy will not badly undermine Islamabad’s standing. Syed Ali Zia Jaffery, deputy director of the Center for Security, Strategy and Policy Research at the University of Lahore, said both Tehran and Washington continue to rely on Pakistan, so the allegations will have limited effect.
Talks deadlocked
The immediate trigger for the latest tension was Washington’s rejection of Iran’s peace proposal relayed through Pakistan on May 11. Iranian state media said Tehran’s terms include war reparations from the US, full Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, an end to sanctions, and release of frozen assets, while nuclear talks would be postponed. President Trump described the proposal as “TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE” on Truth Social. “I can say the ceasefire is hanging by a thread,” he later told reporters in the Oval Office. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei dismissed that description, calling the proposal “reasonable and generous.”
Core disagreements remain unchanged. Washington wants Iran to scrap its nuclear programme and hand over its stock of 60% enriched uranium, close to weapons-grade. Tehran insists nuclear talks can happen only after sanctions are lifted and a US naval blockade on Iranian ports imposed on April 13 is ended.
Mediation efforts and outlook
Since Islamabad talks ended without an agreement, Pakistan has mainly acted as a go-between passing proposals between the two sides. Qatar has also backed mediation efforts. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, with Doha pledging to support “Pakistan-led mediation efforts.” Analysts say the ceasefire has been “effectively violated” since the US imposed the naval blockade, though both sides have avoided a return to full-scale war. Muhanad Seloom, a non-resident senior fellow at the Gulf International Forum, predicted “narrow military actions aimed at assets of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that harass Hormuz shipping.”
President Trump is expected to discuss the Iran crisis with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit to Beijing this week. Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi is also expected to attend a BRICS foreign ministers’ meeting in India alongside top diplomats from Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that if Iran’s nuclear material cannot be removed through talks, Israel and the US agree they “could reignite war with them.” Former Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani warned the weaponisation of the Strait of Hormuz is “the most dangerous outcome” of the conflict.
