Bahrain, together with 78 countries and the European Union, condemned the drone attack carried out by armed groups in Iraq, which targeted electrical infrastructure located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE on May 17.
The text of the statement follows:
Joint statement issued by: Bahrain, the UAE, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Comoros, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Egypt, Ecuador, Estonia, the European Union, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Moldova, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tonga, Türkiye, Ukraine, the UK, the US, Uruguay, Vietnam and Yemen.
We strongly condemn the drone attack carried out on 17 May 2026 by armed groups in Iraq, which targeted electrical infrastructure located outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the UAE.
This attack constitutes a flagrant violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations, and poses a threat to regional and international peace and security. It also entailed serious risks to the lives of civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as the potential for severe cross-border radiological, environmental and health consequences.
We express our deep concern regarding this dangerous escalation and call for the immediate and permanent cessation of all attacks directed against the UAE, including attacks targeting nuclear facilities dedicated exclusively to peaceful purposes. We further call upon all states to refrain from hostile acts or the use of force inconsistent with the Charter of the United Nations, and to fulfil their obligations under international law, including ensuring that their territories are not used by non-State actors to launch attacks against other states.
We reaffirm our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the UAE, in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.
We commend the prompt and transparent information provided by the UAE to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through its competent authorities, regarding the consequences of this attack, the successful measures taken to mitigate its effects, and the radiation levels around the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, which remained within normal ranges.
We express our appreciation for the continued efforts undertaken by the UAE authorities to ensure the safe, secure and peaceful operation of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant under IAEA safeguards and in accordance with the highest international standards. We welcome the continued co-ordination between the agency and the relevant UAE authorities.
We further reaffirm that the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant was designed, constructed and is operated in accordance with the highest international standards, under the oversight of the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation of the UAE, and in conformity with the IAEA safety standards.
We support the ongoing efforts of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its Director General in monitoring developments related to nuclear safety, nuclear security and safeguards in member states.
We call upon all states to refrain from taking any action that could jeopardise the safety and security of nuclear power plants dedicated exclusively to peaceful purposes.
This drone attack, which targeted infrastructure located near the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant, underscores the urgent importance of protecting nuclear infrastructure dedicated exclusively to peaceful purposes from threats and hostile acts.
We call for enhanced international co-operation aimed at protecting nuclear power plants dedicated exclusively to peaceful purposes, as well as related sites and infrastructure, including through strengthened physical protection measures, emergency preparedness and response capabilities, and resilience and readiness measures.
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