Reuters: Iranian Negotiators Fear Assassination by Israel; Pakistan Escorts Them Home
According to Reuters, after peace talks between Iran and the US broke down in Pakistan last weekend, Iranian negotiators feared assassination by Israel, prompting the Pakistan Air Force to provide a large-scale escort.
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- 📰 Published: April 18, 2026 at 00:44
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Islamabad, April 17, International News) Reuters reported, citing three sources, that after peace talks between Iran and the US broke down last weekend in Pakistan, Iranian negotiators feared possible assassination by Israel, leading the Pakistan Air Force to undertake a large-scale operation to escort them back home.
Two knowledgeable Pakistani individuals stated that Pakistan deployed approximately 24 fighter jets and utilized its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) for surveillance to ensure the safe return of the Iranian negotiation delegation from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Another security source revealed: 'When the talks broke down, the Iranians worried that the situation might have turned against them, and suspected they might become targets.'
This source added: 'From a pilot's perspective, this was a massive operational task. We were responsible for escorting a delegation that came for negotiations, providing them with air cover, and responding to any threats with powerful fighter jets.'
According to an official source, the escort on April 12 to Iran utilized Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets, which are the top-tier aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force fleet.
These talks were the highest-level face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. A source who participated in the talks confirmed the Pakistani escort but did not disclose operational details, only stating: 'We escorted them all the way to Tehran. Their safety remained our responsibility even after they departed.'
A regional diplomat who had been briefed by Iran said that Pakistan insisted on providing the escort after the Iranian delegation raised 'hypothetical' concerns about threats to their lives.
Another source stated that if Iran requests similar peace talks to be held in Pakistan in the future, Islamabad will provide similar security protection.
Sources involved in the last round of talks said that relevant arrangements are being made, and US-Iran negotiations could resume as early as this weekend. (Translator: Zhang Zhengqian) 1150417
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(Central News Agency, Islamabad, April 17, International News) Reuters reported, citing three sources, that after peace talks between Iran and the US broke down last weekend in Pakistan, Iranian negotiators feared possible assassination by Israel, leading the Pakistan Air Force to undertake a large-scale operation to escort them back home.
Two knowledgeable Pakistani individuals stated that Pakistan deployed approximately 24 fighter jets and utilized its Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) for surveillance to ensure the safe return of the Iranian negotiation delegation from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan.
Another security source revealed: 'When the talks broke down, the Iranians worried that the situation might have turned against them, and suspected they might become targets.'
This source added: 'From a pilot's perspective, this was a massive operational task. We were responsible for escorting a delegation that came for negotiations, providing them with air cover, and responding to any threats with powerful fighter jets.'
According to an official source, the escort on April 12 to Iran utilized Chinese-made J-10 fighter jets, which are the top-tier aircraft in the Pakistan Air Force fleet.
These talks were the highest-level face-to-face negotiations between the US and Iran since the Iranian Revolution in 1979. A source who participated in the talks confirmed the Pakistani escort but did not disclose operational details, only stating: 'We escorted them all the way to Tehran. Their safety remained our responsibility even after they departed.'
A regional diplomat who had been briefed by Iran said that Pakistan insisted on providing the escort after the Iranian delegation raised 'hypothetical' concerns about threats to their lives.
Another source stated that if Iran requests similar peace talks to be held in Pakistan in the future, Islamabad will provide similar security protection.
Sources involved in the last round of talks said that relevant arrangements are being made, and US-Iran negotiations could resume as early as this weekend. (Translator: Zhang Zhengqian) 1150417
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Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, broadcast, transmitted, or used without authorization.