The Director General of the United Nations' nuclear regulatory body has issued a critical alert regarding the potential dangers of a military strike on the Barakah nuclear power station in the UAE, indicating that such an act could result in substantial radioactive fallout across the region.
At an urgent session of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, Rafael Grossi expressed grave concerns following a recent drone attack near the facility.
Located in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and approximately 300 kilometers from the city itself, the Barakah plant is an active nuclear power station that houses significant quantities of both fresh and used nuclear fuel.
Grossi highlighted the severe implications of a direct assault, which could lead to the harmful release of nuclear materials into the surrounding environment.
“This is a nuclear facility in the Middle East; any attack here could have catastrophic consequences,” Grossi informed the Council.
He also mentioned that damage to the plant’s external power supply could pose critical safety hazards, possibly resulting in damage to the reactor core.
Emergency measures would need to be enacted in light of such incidents, which could include evacuations, providing shelter for nearby residents, and distributing stable iodine tablets to people within hundreds of kilometers from the site.
This warning follows UAE officials' confirmation of a fire that erupted near the Barakah facility due to a drone strike last Sunday.
Tensions in the region have escalated considerably after military actions by the US and Israel against Iran in February. Iran subsequently retaliated with attacks directed at Israel and various US allies in the Gulf, including the UAE, and announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
A ceasefire initiated on April 8 through Pakistan's mediation was followed by inconclusive talks in Islamabad regarding a lasting agreement. Later, US President Donald Trump stated that the truce would continue indefinitely.
A strong smell at a shopping mall in Tokyo triggered a major emergency response with at least 19 pe
Recent missile strikes in Ukraine have escalated regional tensions, prompting urgent calls for inter
A tense exchange between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping during high-level talks has raised questions ab
Indigenous treaty rights and constitutional protections are becoming major obstacles in Alberta’s gr
