International Atomic Energy Agency expresses grave concern over Iraqi drone attack on UAE nuclear power plant

The drone attack from Iraq was blamed on Iran-backed Shi’a militias operating within Iraq, and shows the ongoing devastating reach of Iran’s proxies, not only throughout the region, but globally, too.

Iran-backed loyalists and proxies represent another ongoing warfront for Western interests, given regime loyalists’ levels of infiltration. Those loyalists are waging Islamic religious war in defense of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran has targeted the UAE the most among other Muslim countries in the Middle East region, because Iran deems the UAE to be an ally of the US and Israel. Iran views the UAE as a “hostile base” for American forces, and was enraged over the UAE normalizing relations with Israel.

Ali Khezrian, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security commission, explained Iran’s hostility toward the UAE in a nutshell: “Our label of ‘neighbours’ with the Emirates has for now been lifted, and the label of ‘hostile base’ has been set for the country.” By this, Khezrian means a base for US forces.

A grave warning from International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi:

The situation is of grave concern. This is a nuclear site in the Middle East where the consequences of an attack could be most serious. It is an operating nuclear power plant and as such it hosts thousands of kilograms of nuclear material in the core of the reactors, fresh and spent fuel. I want to make it absolutely and completely clear: In case of an attack on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant a direct hit could result in a very high release of radioactivity to the environment.

A hit that disabled 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. In their worst cases, both scenarios would necessitate protective actions, such as evacuations and sheltering of the population or the need to take stable iodine, with the reach extending to distances from a few to several hundred kilometres. Radiation monitoring would need to cover distances of several hundred kilometres and food restrictions may need to be implemented.

According to official numbers from the UAE’s Ministry of Defense, since around mid-March, “the air defenses intercepted 268 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and 1,514 drones, with six fatalities and 131 injuries reported….almost as much as Israel.”

“The UAE says drones that targeted its Barakah nuclear power plant came from Iraqi territory,” Associated Press, May 19, 2026:

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The drones that targeted the United Arab Emirates’ Barakah nuclear power plant all came from Iraq, the country’s Defense Ministry said on Tuesday, an indication that Iraqi Shiite militias backed by Iran were likely behind the assault.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Tehran and its militia proxies have launched repeated drone attacks targeting Gulf Arab states since Israel and the United States began their war against Iran on Feb. 28. In the past, the militias have provided Iran with a way to deflect blame over such attacks.

There were no reported injuries or radioactive leaks at Barakah after the attack, which Emirati officials said hit a generator on the facility’s perimeter.

But at an emergency U.N. Security Council session on Tuesday, the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog described his agency’s “grave concerns” about the growing trend of targeting operating nuclear plants in the Iran war.

“In case of an attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant, a direct hit, could result in a very high rate of radioactivity to the environment,” said Rafael Grossi, the International Atomic Energy Agency chief.

The UAE, which has hosted air defenses and personnel from Israel, recently accused Iran of launching drone and missile attacks even after its ceasefire with the U.S. began April 8….