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Pakistan rejects reports of US strikes via its airspace

Pakistan rejects reports of US strikes via its airspace

Express Tribune4 hours ago

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Pakistani authorities strongly rejected claims circulating on social media suggesting that the country had permitted the United States to use its airspace or territorial waters for military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling the reports "completely false and baseless."
The denial comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The strikes targeted three key Iranian nuclear sites — Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan — according to US President Donald Trump, who announced the operation on his Truth Social platform.
According to the state television PTV, some Indian media outlets have amplified allegations that US B-2 bombers and warships passed through Pakistani territory to reach Iranian targets—claims officials in Islamabad dismiss as deliberate disinformation.
'These reports are part of a broader pattern of false narratives, particularly pushed by certain quarters in Indian media,' a senior government source told Reuters.
اسرائیل ایران جنگ سے متعلق چند اہم فیکٹ چیک؛ حقائق اور پاکستان کا اصولی موقف کیا ہے؟https://t.co/usAildq2mB pic.twitter.com/8gv0AIxTdZ — PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) June 22, 2025
In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) condemned the US attack, labelling it 'a serious violation of international law' and expressing concern about further regional escalation.
'Iran has the legitimate right to defend itself under the UN Charter,' the MOFA said, urging all parties to respect international law and protect civilian lives and infrastructure.
The government reiterated its longstanding position of neutrality in regional conflicts and called for restraint and diplomacy. Officials confirmed that Pakistan has not entered into any new military cooperation related to the Iran-US conflict and no request for operational access has been made by Washington.
'Pakistan maintains a policy of non-involvement and supports dialogue as the only sustainable path to peace,' the statement added.
Authorities urged both the media and the public to verify all information through credible and official channels, cautioning against the spread of unverified and potentially dangerous misinformation.
In contrast, US B-2 stealth bombers reportedly used Indian airspace to carry out strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to regional sources cited in multiple reports on Sunday.
Read: US B-2 bombers used Indian airspace to attack Iran's nuclear facilities
Sources claimed the US Air Force's strategic bombers departed from Guam Island in the western Pacific, passed over the Andaman Sea, and then traversed central Indian airspace before reaching their strike zone near Iran via the Arabian Sea.
The route reportedly covered coordinates including 15°N, 145°E (Guam), through 10°N, 95°–100°E (Andaman Sea), crossing 20°N, 75°–80°E (central India), and reaching the vicinity of 25°–30°N, 60°–65°E (near Iran's borders).
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also strongly condemned the recent US military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling them a serious violation of international law.
He conveyed Pakistan's position during a telephone call with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The US strikes followed eight days of what Pakistan termed as Israel's "unprovoked and unjustified aggression."
'The Prime Minister expressed deep concern that the US attacks had targeted facilities under the safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),' the statement said. 'These attacks constituted a serious violation of international law and the IAEA Statute,' he was quoted as saying.
Washington enters Iran conflict
US forces struck Iran's three main nuclear sites, President Donald Trump said in a televised speech late on June 21 and he warned Tehran it would face more devastating attacks if it does not agree to peace.
The US strikes included 14 bunker-buster bombs, more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles and over 125 military aircraft, in an operation the top US general, General Dan Caine, said was named "Operation Midnight."
After days of deliberation and long before his self-imposed two-week deadline, Trump's decision to join Israel's military invasion against its major rival Iran is a major escalation of the assault and risks opening a new era of instability in the Middle East.
"A short time ago, we carried out massive precision strikes on three nuclear facilities in the Iranian regime," he announced.
Also Read: Tehran vows self-defence with 'all force' after US strikes three nuclear installations
The strikes were a spectacular military success," Trump said in the White House televised address. "Iran's key nuclear enrichment facilities have been completely and totally obliterated."
Iran's Foreign Ministry has strongly condemned the US military strike on its nuclear facilities, calling the action an unprecedented breach of international law and a grave violation of the UN Charter.
In a statement, the Islamic Republic of Iran accused the United States of a 'brutal military aggression' against its peaceful nuclear infrastructure.
Tehran held Washington fully responsible for what it called a 'heinous crime' and warned of 'dangerous consequences' stemming from the attack.

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