Published on: 2026-05-19
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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A drone strike on the Barakah nuclear power plant complex in the United Arab Emirates poses a serious nuclear security threat in the region. This was stated on Tuesday at a UN Security Council meeting by Rafael Mariano Grossi, the Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
According to the head of MAGATE, as a result of the incident that occurred on May 17, an electric generator outside the internal perimeter of the station caught fire. The radiation background at the site remains normal, there are no casualties, he added.
Grossi noted that emergency diesel generators had to be activated to ensure the power supply of the NPP. External power supply at the plant has now been restored. Immediately after the incident, the head of the IAEA contacted the UAE Foreign Minister and assured him of the agency’s support.
According to the head of MAGATE, he is also conducting negotiations with the leaders of the Persian Gulf countries, who are concerned about the current situation. The agency is ready to send its experts to the region if necessary. “We have done this in other conflict zones as well,” Grossi emphasized.
The head of the IAEA warned that the consequences of a direct hit on an operating nuclear power plant could be extremely dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, according to him, evacuation of the population to shelters and administration of stable iodine to everyone within “several to hundreds of kilometers” from the nuclear power plant would be required.
Grossi thanked the UAE authorities for the promptly provided technical information and emphasized that the IAEA emergency center in Vienna operates around the clock, remaining in constant contact with Abu Dhabi.
Concluding his speech, Grossi emphasized that the only path to the security of nuclear facilities is diplomacy and dialogue. “The IAEA remains a key platform for such dialogue, especially these days,” he said.
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