Pakistan denounces drone strike on UAE nuclear plant

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), warning that targeting nuclear facilities posed grave risks to human life, regional stability and global security.

In a statement, the Foreign Office expressed full solidarity with the UAE government and people, stressing that attacks on civilian nuclear infrastructure were a serious violation of international law and internationally accepted nuclear safety norms.

“Any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constitutes a grave violation of international law, the United Nations Charter, and the principles of nuclear safety and security enshrined in the framework of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” the statement said.

Pakistan warned that such actions could trigger “catastrophic and irreversible consequences” for human life, the environment and international peace.

“Nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances,” the Foreign Office stressed, describing the inviolability of civilian nuclear infrastructure as a universally recognised international norm that must be upheld without exception.

Islamabad also called on all parties involved in the regional conflict to exercise maximum restraint and avoid steps that could further escalate tensions in the Gulf region.

“All parties must fulfil their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law,” the statement said, adding that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path towards de-escalation and lasting peace.

The reaction came a day after a drone struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the UAE, causing a fire but no casualties or radiation leak.

The International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that radiological safety levels remained unaffected and said emergency diesel generators were supplying power to the affected unit. The agency also urged “maximum military restraint” around nuclear facilities.

The incident occurred amid heightened tensions in the Gulf following the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran and disruptions to shipping routes in the Strait of Hormuz.

Emirati authorities said investigations were underway to determine the source of the drone attack, while reaffirming the UAE’s right to defend its sovereignty and respond to threats against critical infrastructure.

Regional tensions have intensified since the outbreak of hostilities between Iran, the United States and Israel earlier this year, with repeated strikes targeting military, civilian and energy-related sites across the Gulf region.