Fact check: Footage of Saudi crown prince jet escorted by PAF falsely linked to Iranian delegation

Viral footage circulating on social media claiming that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets escorted an Iranian delegation has been confirmed as misleading, with fact-checks revealing the video to be unrelated to any recent developments involving Iran.

PAF’s fighter jets over Bandar Abbas, Iran, to escort the Iranian delegation to Pakistan safely.

Pakistan Air Force has established a “protective shield” across Iran and Persian Gulf supported by fighter jets & AWACS to protect Iranian delegation from any misadventure by Israel pic.twitter.com/AdCvZ3JOTl

— Malik Ali Raza (@MalikAliiRaza) April 9, 2026

🔴 پاکستان فضائیہ ایک شاندار آپریشن کر رہی ہے۔

امریکہ کے ساتھ مذاکرات کے لیے پاکستان آنے والے ایرانی وفد کو تحفظ فراہم کیا جا رہا ہے۔

پاکستانی جنگی طیارے سعودی عرب اور خلیج فارس کے اوپر چکر لگا رہے ہیں لیکن زمین پر نہیں اتر رہے۔ ایک AWACS طیارہ بھی شامل ہے، جو ایرانی وفد کے… pic.twitter.com/KLdA4SAFVr

— RTEUrdu (@RTEUrdu) April 9, 2026

The visuals in question actually date back to February 2019, when PAF fighter jets escorted the aircraft of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his official visit to Pakistan. The escort was part of a ceremonial reception extended to the visiting dignitary.

However, the same footage has recently resurfaced online with false claims suggesting it shows an Iranian delegation being escorted amid ongoing diplomatic engagements in the region. Some posts further exaggerated the narrative by alleging the involvement of advanced surveillance support.

Independent verification has confirmed that the footage predates current geopolitical developments and bears no connection to Iran or any recent diplomatic mission.

The incident highlights a growing trend of old videos being recirculated with misleading captions, contributing to confusion around sensitive regional matters.

Conclusion:

The claim that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets escorted an Iranian delegation is false. The footage is authentic but has been misrepresented, originally showing the 2019 visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Pakistan during the PTi government tenure.