US senator criticizes Pakistan over reports of Iranian aircraft presence

China’s Foreign Minister on Tuesday urged Pakistan to intensify its mediation efforts between the United States and Iran, Chinese state media reported.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the call during a conversation with Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to Xinhua.

State media said Wang also referred to the need to “properly” address issues related to the Strait of Hormuz.

At least six Chinese-owned or operated tankers transited the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday despite reduced overall shipping traffic in the waterway, according to vessel tracking data.

Maritime tracking and open-source intelligence reports said vessels including DEEPBLUE, APEX GAS, QUAR, STARWAY, AQUILA, YUAN HUA HU and the vehicle carrier CIANG JIANG KOU crossed the strait on Tuesday.

Former US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad said on Tuesday reports that Pakistan allowed Iranian military aircraft to park at its airfields while acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington, if confirmed, would be “not surprising.”

"Working simultaneously with and against the US has been a pattern of Pakistani policies for the last 40 years," Khalilzad posted on X. "Examples include: making commitments to the US not to acquire nuclear weapons while in fact energetically doing just that, helping USA in Afghanistan after 9/11 while also helping those fighting against us and let’s not forget, hosting Bin Laden until we finally located him right next to one of their military facilities, and our Special Forces went in and eliminate him."

Pakistan allowed Iranian military aircraft to park on its airfields while presenting itself as a diplomatic mediator between Tehran and Washington, potentially shielding them from US strikes, US officials told CBS News. The officials said the aircraft were moved to Pakistan, including Nur Khan Air Base near Rawalpindi, days after a ceasefire announcement between the United States and Iran earlier this year.

Among the aircraft was an Iranian Air Force RC-130 reconnaissance plane, according to the officials. CBS also reported that Iranian civilian aircraft were flown to Afghanistan, though it was unclear whether any military aircraft were involved. A Pakistani official rejected suggestions that the aircraft were being hidden, while the foreign ministry said the planes arrived during the ceasefire period for diplomatic and logistical purposes, the report added.

Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon on Tuesday welcomed the Dominican Republic’s decision to designate Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Hezbollah as terrorist organizations.

"I welcome the Dominican Republic’s decision to designate Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps as terrorist organizations. This is an important decision that aligns with dozens of countries that have already done the right thing. The world increasingly understands that the terror led by Iran is not only a threat to Israel - it is a global threat," Danon posted on X.

An Iranian US citizen has pleaded guilty in federal court in New York to alien smuggling and receiving child sexual abuse material, the US Department of Justice said on Tuesday.

The defendant, Sharon Gohari, admitted to facilitating the illegal entry of foreign nationals into the United States in exchange for payment, according to the Justice Department.

Prosecutors said he helped migrants enter the US through Mexico as part of a wider smuggling network involving associates in Iran and other countries.

Authorities said at least one individual he assisted had links to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated by the United States as a foreign terrorist organization.

During the investigation, federal agents also found child sexual abuse material on his devices, as well as images showing the covert recording and stalking of women in New York City, according to the department.

Gohari faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years for the child exploitation charge, along with additional penalties for alien smuggling.