Republican US Senator Lindsey Graham on Tuesday publicly questioned Pakistan’s credibility as a mediator in the ongoing US-Iran negotiations, citing reports that Iranian military aircraft were allowed to use Pakistani air bases during the conflict.Speaking during a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Graham pressed US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on reports that Iranian aircraft were operating from Pakistani territory, asking whether such actions were “consistent with [Pakistan] Being a fair broker.“I don’t trust Pakistan, as much as I can get rid of them,” Graham said. He added: “If they already have Iranian planes parked at Pakistani bases to protect Iranian military assets, that tells me that maybe we should look for someone else to mediate.”
The comments came after CBS News reported that Pakistan had allowed Iranian military aircraft to use facilities including Pakistan’s Noor Khan Air Base, with US officials allegedly suggesting the move could protect Iranian assets from potential US strikes.Hegseth declined to comment directly on the allegations, saying he did not want to interfere in ongoing diplomatic efforts. Graham responded sharply, saying, “No wonder the damn thing’s not going anywhere.”
A day earlier, Graham also raised concerns about X, saying Washington should reconsider Pakistan’s mediation role if the reports prove accurate.
But Pakistan denied these accusations. In a statement on Tuesday, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry confirmed the presence of Iranian aircraft in the country during the ceasefire period, but said that it was only linked to diplomatic and logistical arrangements related to the talks process.
“Some aircraft and support personnel remained temporarily in Pakistan in anticipation of subsequent rounds of engagement,” the ministry said, rejecting allegations of any military coordination and describing them as “misleading and sensational.”
“Islamabad stressed that the plane had “absolutely no connection with any military emergency or conservation arrangements” and described Pakistan’s role as a “neutral, constructive and responsible facilitator” in efforts to calm tensions.Meanwhile, Pakistan’s role as a mediator between the US and Iran is said to be under wider scrutiny within the Trump administration, amid growing frustration in Washington over stalled negotiations and Tehran’s response to recent peace proposals.According to CNN, citing sources, many Trump officials now believe that Pakistani mediators were not forceful enough in conveying Trump’s frustration to Iranian negotiators.
Some administration officials have also claimed that Islamabad may be presenting a more optimistic version of Tehran’s position than what is actually being circulated in the talks.Sources said that the US President is frustrated by Iran’s continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz and what he sees as divisions within the Iranian leadership that prevent meaningful concessions in the nuclear talks.Iran’s latest response to the US proposal, which Trump called “completely unacceptable” and “stupid,” has further hardened views within parts of the administration, with some officials now considering more seriously a return to major combat operations.The administration itself remains divided over its next course of action. Some officials, especially within the Pentagon, are calling for a more aggressive approach that could include targeted strikes to increase pressure on Tehran. Others continue to push for more time for diplomacy. “There have been intense efforts by countries across the region and from Pakistan to tell the Iranians that Trump is frustrated, and this is their last chance to seriously engage in diplomacy,” a regional official said on Monday, adding: “But Iran does not seem to be listening or taking anyone seriously.”
“The official added that Washington and Tehran are working according to “two types of tolerance and different timetables,” as Iran is believed to rely on its long experience in withstanding economic pressure and sanctions.At the same time, Pakistan denied the accusations related to Iranian military aircraft, stressing that its participation was limited to facilitating diplomatic engagement and de-escalation efforts.Pakistan played a central role in the recent back-channel diplomacy between Washington and Tehran. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Army Commander Asim Munir participated in the mediation efforts during the extended ceasefire period.Islamabad hosted the first round of US-Iranian negotiations last month, although subsequent talks faltered after disagreements over the revised US proposal.US President Donald Trump later said that Pakistan was among the countries that urged Washington to stop “Project Freedom” after presenting a new US peace proposal to Tehran.But Iran’s response was rejected by Trump, who on Sunday called it “completely unacceptable” and warned that Iran “will not laugh anymore.”Later, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf urged the United States to accept Tehran’s 14-point counterproposal, which reportedly included demands for sanctions relief, US military withdrawal, compensation, and a ceasefire framework linked to the Strait of Hormuz and Lebanon.
