FO condemns drone attack on UAE nuclear power plant, says such actions carry 'potentially catastrophic consequences'

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack on the United Arab Emirates’ nuclear power plant, saying that “such reckless actions carry potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment and regional as well as global peace and security”.

A day ago, a drone strike had triggered a fire near Barakh Nuclear Power Plant in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, reporting no injuries or impact on radiation levels, according to the UAE’s defence ministry.

The UAE defence ministry said two other drones had been “successfully” dealt with, and that the drones had been launched from the “western border”. It did not elaborate.

Emirati officials said they were investigating the source of the strike and that the UAE had the full right to respond to such “terrorist attacks”.

The UAE has previously accused Iran of attacking its energy targets in what it has called an escalation of the conflict in the region.

In the statement released on Monday, the FO said that “any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities” constituted a grave violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, the UN Charter, and the fundamental principles of nuclear safety and security enshrined in the Statute and resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

It added that nuclear installations “must never be targeted under any circumstances”, adding “such reckless actions carry potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment, and regional as well as global peace and security”.

“The inviolability of civilian nuclear infrastructure is a well- established international norm and must be upheld without exception,” the FO said.

“Pakistan calls upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint, fulfil their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law, and avoid any actions that could further escalate tensions with consequences extending far beyond the region,” it said.

“Dialogue and diplomacy, consistent with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, remain the only viable path toward lasting peace, stability, and de-escalation in the region,” the FO concluded.

The Barakah Nuclear Power Plant began operations in 2020 and is 200km west of Abu Dhabi, near the borders with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The plant provides up to a quarter of the oil-rich UAE’s electricity needs.

The drone hit an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on Sunday.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said emergency diesel generators were providing power to the plant’s “unit 3”, and called for “maximum military restraint” near any nuclear power plant, adding that it was following the situation closely.

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Additional input from Reuters.