The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday called on the government of Iraq to investigate the drone attack launched against the Barakah nuclear power plant from Iraqi soil and to take all necessary steps to prevent Iranian proxies from using Iraq as the launch pad for further terrorist attacks. Barakah is the only operational nuclear power plant in the Arab world. Constructed with assistance from South Korea at a cost of $20 billion, the first of its four power units came online in 2020. Four units are now operational, supplying about a quarter of the electrical power for the Emirates. On Sunday, three drones attacked the Barakah nuclear plant. Two of them were intercepted, but one penetrated the inner perimeter of the facility and damaged an electrical generator. Fortunately, there were no reported injuries and no release of radiation from the explosion.
The reckless assault on a nuclear power plant was condemned around the world, including at an emergency session of the U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday. International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director-General Rafael Grossi told UNSC that the attack was a threat to “nuclear safety in the UAE” and a matter of “grave concern.” He pointed out that a strike on the lines supplying electrical power to the plant “could increase the likelihood of its reactors’ cores melting, which could result in a high release of radioactivity.”
“As I have stated several times, including to this Council, attacks on nuclear facilities devoted to peaceful purposes are unacceptable,” Grossi said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, but the UAE Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that the drones came from Iraq and were most likely launched by Iran-backed Shiite militia groups, which have participated in Iran’s wanton attacks on neighboring states. The Iraqi government did not immediately respond to the claims by the UAE Defense Ministry, but it issued a generalized condemnation of the “recent drone attacks targeting the UAE.” (Ed note: The question being, if the terrorists are attacking the UAE Nuclear Energy Plant from Iraq now, how long before they turn on the state of Israel?) (Read More)
