Says such reckless actions have potentially catastrophic, irreversible consequences for human life
Police officers stand guard at the main entrance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Islamabad on January 18, 2024. Photo: File
Pakistan on Monday condemned the drone attack on the Barakah nuclear power plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), saying that deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constitutes a serious violation of international law and that such reckless actions have potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences on human life.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), Pakistan said it “stands in full solidarity with the brotherly people and government of the UAE.”
“Any deliberate targeting of nuclear facilities constitutes a serious violation of international law, the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of nuclear safety and security enshrined in the Statute and resolutions of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA),” the statement added.
It further stated, “Nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances,” noting that “such reckless actions have potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment, and regional as well as global peace and security.”
The statement further said that the inviolability of civilian nuclear infrastructure was a well-established international norm that must be upheld without exception, adding that “Pakistan calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint.”
“All parties must fulfill their obligations under international law and international humanitarian law and avoid actions that could exacerbate tensions with ramifications far beyond the region,” it added.
The ministry concluded by calling for dialogue and diplomacy as “the only viable path towards lasting peace, stability and de-escalation in the region.”
Read: The United Arab Emirates says it does not need outside protection, vows to defend sovereignty
A day earlier, a drone struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah power plant, causing a fire. However, the radiological safety level remained unaffected and no injuries were reported.
The IAEA had stated that emergency diesel generators were providing power to the plant’s “Unit 3” and called for “maximum military restraint in the vicinity of any nuclear power plant. The agency had also stated that it was monitoring the situation closely.
The attack came as progress appears to have stalled in efforts to end the US-Israel war against Iran and resume shipping in the Gulf region.
Emirati officials said after the strike that they were investigating the source of the attack and reaffirmed their right to respond to such “terrorist attacks”. The United Arab Emirates has previously accused Tehran of attacking its energy targets in what it has called an escalation of conflict in the region.
Read more: Iran’s Araghchi warns UAE over Netanyahu meeting, says ‘collaboration with Israel’ is ‘unforgivable’
Since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28, Tehran has repeatedly attacked the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states that host US military bases, hitting sites that include civilian and energy infrastructure.
This month, Iran stepped up attacks on the United Arab Emirates after US President Donald Trump announced a naval mission to try to open the Strait of Hormuz, which he suspended after 48 hours.
The disruption of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has caused the biggest oil supply crisis in history, pushing up energy prices. The US, meanwhile, has imposed its own blockade of Iranian ports, further raising tensions in the region.
