On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump stated he was not re-evaluating Pakistan’s involvement as a mediator in the ongoing Iran conflict, despite skepticism from a key Republican ally. Senator Lindsey Graham, a close Trump confidant, expressed distrust towards Islamabad, following reports suggesting that Pakistan had allowed Iranian military aircraft to station at its airfields to shield them from potential U.S. airstrikes.
The CBS News report that Senator Graham referred to highlighted that Pakistan had facilitated the parking of both U.S. and Iranian aircraft in Islamabad for logistical support ahead of ceasefire discussions. While some aircraft remained in anticipation of further talks, Pakistan clarified that this was not part of any “preservation arrangement.” “I don’t trust Pakistan as far as I can throw them,” Graham remarked during a Senate Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee session. He suggested that if Pakistan indeed harbored Iranian aircraft to safeguard Iranian military assets, the U.S. might need to consider another mediator.
However, President Trump seemed to dismiss these concerns hours later when questioned about whether the U.S. should reassess Pakistan’s mediating role. “No, they’re great,” Trump commented to the press, praising Pakistan’s cooperation. He specifically commended the efforts of Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, describing their roles as “absolutely great.”
Responding to these developments, the Pakistani embassy in Washington deferred to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which maintained that the Iranian aircraft had arrived during the ceasefire period and were not linked to any military or preservation arrangements. The ministry’s statement asserted that claims suggesting otherwise were speculative and misleading, lacking connection to the factual context.
According to unnamed U.S. officials, days following Trump’s ceasefire announcement on April 7, Iran had sent several aircraft to Pakistan’s Nur Khan Air Force Base, situated near Rawalpindi. This move had sparked the controversy and discussions regarding Pakistan’s role in mediating the conflict.