IAEA Warns UAE Nuclear Plant Strike Breached Key Safety Principles

Vienna- The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Friday described last month’s drone attack on the UAE’s Barakah nuclear power plant as a serious breach of nuclear safety, warning that attacks on civilian nuclear facilities are unacceptable.

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi said the May 17 strike hit an electrical generator outside the plant’s inner perimeter, causing a fire and forcing operators to rely on emergency generators.

The UAE has blamed pro-Iran militias in Iraq for the attack, which occurred during weeks of missile and drone exchanges linked to the wider Middle East conflict.

Grossi told an IAEA board meeting in Vienna that the incident could have disrupted the plant’s external power supply and undermined several of the agency’s key principles for maintaining nuclear safety during armed conflict.

While no injuries or radiation leaks were reported, Grossi warned that attacks on peaceful nuclear facilities carry the risk of a serious radioactive release and should be considered a “no-go” under international norms.

He praised the response of the UAE plant’s operators, saying their training and preparedness helped prevent a potentially more serious incident.

The Barakah facility, located in Abu Dhabi’s Al-Dhafra region, began operations in 2020 and supplies up to a quarter of the UAE’s electricity demand.

The comments came as the IAEA also continued discussions with Iran, China and Russia over monitoring Iran’s nuclear activities and verifying its stockpile of enriched uranium amid ongoing regional tensions.