Pakistan Rebuts Iran Nuclear Claim, Warns India on Chenab Water

Pakistan’s Foreign Office on Thursday rejected reports suggesting that Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had passed information about Iran’s nuclear programme to United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The clarification was issued during the weekly briefing in Islamabad, where spokesperson Tahir Andrabi addressed questions on Pakistan’s regional diplomacy and water security concerns.

The issue emerged after claims circulated that Dar had conveyed a sensitive message during his May 29 meeting with Rubio in Washington. That meeting had focused on Pakistan-US cooperation and regional security, with Washington previously acknowledging Islamabad’s diplomatic role in efforts to lower tensions in the Middle East.

At the briefing, the Foreign Office dismissed the reports as inaccurate and said Pakistan had not shared any such information about Iran’s nuclear position. The denial came at a time when speculation around back-channel diplomacy has increased because of the continuing US-Iran standoff and Pakistan’s visible role in facilitating dialogue.

FO spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan rejected the claim that the deputy premier had exchanged any information concerning Iran’s nuclear programme. He stated that “no such information was shared,” while Rubio also reportedly told a congressional hearing that he was not aware of any such message being delivered.

The controversy is linked to wider regional tension involving Iran, the United States and Israel. Although a fragile ceasefire has reduced the intensity of direct confrontation, periodic military exchanges and pressure around the Strait of Hormuz have kept the region unstable, with global oil supplies and security calculations remaining under strain.

Pakistan has tried to position itself as a diplomatic actor during the crisis, including by supporting direct engagement between Washington and Tehran. Islamabad’s response appears aimed at protecting its relations with Iran while avoiding any impression that it is passing sensitive information between rival powers.

During the same briefing, the Foreign Office also strongly criticised India’s reported plan to divert water from the Chenab River to the Beas basin through a proposed linking project. Pakistan said such a move would violate the Indus Waters Treaty, which allocates the western rivers, including Chenab, to Pakistan.

Andrabi said India’s reported Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel project and planned silt flushing activity at Salal Dam were deeply concerning because they could affect Pakistan’s water rights, agriculture and economic security. He warned that any attempt to stop, reduce or divert water legally belonging to Pakistan would be unacceptable.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has long been one of the most important legal frameworks governing water sharing between Pakistan and India. Despite repeated political crises, the treaty has largely survived, making any alleged attempt to alter river flows a highly sensitive national security issue for Pakistan.

The latest Foreign Office statement signals that Islamabad will continue to push back on both diplomatic misinformation and water-related pressure from India. Pakistan is expected to raise its concerns through treaty mechanisms and international diplomatic channels while closely watching developments in the Middle East and South Asia.