Iran Feared Israeli Attack At Islamabad Talks, Pakistan Escorted Them Home With Air Cover: Report

Last Updated:April 17, 2026, 17:30 IST

Pakistan launched a major aerial security operation to ensure the safe return of Iranian officials after negotiations ended without a breakthrough. 

Pakistan’s air force escorted Iranian delegates back home after inconclusive peace talks with the United States in Islamabad, deploying fighter jets and surveillance aircraft amid fears that Israel could target the delegation. Pakistan launched a major aerial security operation to ensure the safe return of Iranian officials after negotiations ended without a breakthrough.

Pakistan deployed around two dozen fighter jets along with an Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft to monitor the airspace and escort the Iranian delegation toward Iran, Reuters reported citing multiple unnamed sources in the know. The report said Iranian officials had expressed concerns that Israel might attempt to strike them after the talks failed.

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Why Was The Escort Provided?

Sources quoted by Reuters said the Iranian side became uneasy after the negotiations ended inconclusively and believed they could be vulnerable while travelling back. One security source told Reuters, “When the talks failed, the Iranians were wary that things had not gone right. It was their suspicion that they might be targeted." A regional diplomat cited in the report said Pakistan insisted on providing the escort after Iranian delegates raised the hypothetical possibility of a threat.

The delegation was led by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf. Reuters said one source confirmed the Pakistani mission escorted the group all the way to Iranian territory, adding that their security remained Pakistan’s responsibility beyond their stay in Islamabad.

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The operation included Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets, considered among the most advanced aircraft in Pakistan’s air force fleet. One source described the mission as significant from a military standpoint, noting that Pakistan had taken responsibility for protecting a foreign delegation in a highly sensitive regional environment.

Despite the lack of progress in the latest round, diplomatic contacts remain active. US  President Donald Trump said that the conflict “should be ending pretty soon" and indicated that another round of talks could take place in Islamabad this weekend.

News world Iran Feared Israeli Attack At Islamabad Talks, Pakistan Escorted Them Home With Air Cover: Report

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