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  "path": "/partner/uae-nuclear-plant-attack-iaea",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-05T13:27:02.000Z",
  "site": "https://nukta.com",
  "tags": [
    "Barakah nuclear power plant"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\n\nA drone attack on the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant last month was a \"serious compromise of nuclear safety,\" International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi said on Friday.\n\nGrossi, addressing an IAEA board meeting in Vienna, said any such attack \"is unacceptable, a no-go, taboo.\" The UAE blamed pro-Iran militants in Iraq for the May 17 strike.\n\n#### What happened in the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear plant?\n\nThe drone struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the plant on May 17, causing a fire and forcing the activation of emergency generators. The attack risked cutting the plant's external power supply. No injuries were reported and radiation levels remained normal, but Grossi warned the strike could have triggered a major radioactive release.\n\nGrossi described the attack as a \"very carefully targeted operation\" by attackers seeking to cause a major incident. He praised the \"professionalism and alertness\" of the IAEA-trained on-duty team, who he said responded promptly and effectively to a direct drone impact carrying an explosive payload.\n\n#### What did the IAEA say about attacks on nuclear facilities?\n\nGrossi told the board the Barakah attack \"undermined several of the IAEA's seven indispensable pillars for ensuring nuclear safety and security during an armed conflict.\" He stressed that even without casualties, strikes on nuclear plants risk high releases of radioactivity. The board meeting was convened at the request of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Saudi Arabia.\n\nGrossi said he contacted UAE leaders immediately after the attack and has since maintained close contact with leaders across the Gulf region to discuss nuclear safety at what he called a \"perilous\" time. The IAEA said it would closely support the plant to ensure its continued safety.\n\n#### What is Iran's position on nuclear facility attacks?\n\nIn a statement to the board, Iran said the United States and Israel had carried out 17 waves of attacks against Iranian safeguarded nuclear facilities, including near its Bushehr nuclear power plant. Iran, alongside China and Russia, held a separate meeting with Grossi ahead of the board session. The three countries argued it was difficult for Iran to comply with its IAEA obligations under current conditions.\n\nGrossi also said the IAEA needed access to verify the amount of enriched uranium Iran holds. Without such verification, he warned, any agreement over Iran's nuclear program would be less probable.\n\nThe Barakah plant, built by a South Korean consortium led by Kepco, came online in 2020 and supplies up to a quarter of the UAE's electricity needs.",
  "title": "UAE nuclear plant attack 'serious compromise of nuclear safety': IAEA"
}