Iran transferred aircraft to Pakistan and Afghanistan during its conflict with the United States in an apparent effort to protect some of its military and aviation assets.
US officials told CBS News that several days after President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire with Iran in early April, Tehran sent multiple aircraft to Pakistan Air Force Base Nur Khan near Rawalpindi. Among the aircraft was reportedly an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance plane.
The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the aircraft movements reflected attempts by Iran to shield assets while Pakistan publicly positioned itself as an intermediary between Tehran and Washington.
US Central Command declined to comment directly and referred CBS News to Pakistani and Afghan authorities.
A senior Pakistani official denied the claims regarding Nur Khan Air Base, telling CBS News that the facility is located in the middle of the city and that a large number of aircraft could not be concealed from public view.
According to an Afghan civil aviation officer quoted in the report, an Iranian civilian aircraft operated by Mahan Air landed in Kabul shortly before the conflict began and remained there after Iranian airspace was closed.
The official said the aircraft was later moved to Herat Airport near the Iranian border after Pakistani airstrikes on Kabul during tensions with the Taliban government. Afghan authorities reportedly relocated the plane out of concern that Kabul Airport could become a target.
The Afghan aviation officer stated that this was the only Iranian aircraft remaining in Afghanistan.
Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid denied that Iranian aircraft were present in Afghanistan, telling CBS News that the claim was untrue and that Iran had no need for such measures.
Pakistan has sought to balance its relations with Washington, Tehran, and Beijing during the conflict, while China has publicly praised Islamabad's role in facilitating indirect communication between Iran and the United States.
Iran's latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict reportedly included demands for US war reparations, recognition of Iranian sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz, and the lifting of American sanctions.
The proposal was disclosed by Iran's state broadcaster one day after President Trump rejected Tehran's counteroffer as "TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE."
Meanwhile, clashes around the Strait of Hormuz reportedly continued on Sunday. The United Arab Emirates stated that Iranian drones again targeted its territory following earlier strikes during the week.
Three US Navy destroyers traveling through the Strait of Hormuz also came under attack, after which the United States struck two Iranian ports near the waterway.