The UN's atomic energy chief has spoken in Abu Dhabi of the "extreme gravity" of a drone strike launched last month at the emirate's Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.
Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, visited the plant and said the attack was "simply unacceptable" and "highly irresponsible", as he praised the UAE's emergency response to the incident.
Mr Grossi said the strike shut down one of the plant's nuclear reactors due to the loss of external power.
A drone launched from Iraq into the UAE on May 17 struck a generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah plant, the Arab world's first commercial nuclear power station, and caused a fire. No injuries were recorded.
Mr Grossi, speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, highlighted the stark safety risks of the attack, which he described as a "very carefully targeted operation".
He said the incident was a "test of fire" for the plant and its safety measures, which was passed with "flying colours".
"I have been very clear on indicating on this occasion and on other similar occasions that any attack on a nuclear power plant is simply unacceptable," he said.
"There's a body of law that forbids any such acts. This was highly irresponsible and I hope this will not happen again, obviously."
Mr Grossi said that during his tour of the Barakah plant he was briefed on the swift steps taken by officials to ensure public safety after the attack.
"I was able to discuss with the shift that was there at the time that all the protocols were applied impeccably, and within a very short period of time the situation was under control," he said.
Mr Grossi, who is standing for election as the UN’s next secretary general, said whoever was behind the attack "knew exactly what they were doing".
He said the strike hit electrical structures that "provide the power to allow it to perform safety and other essential functions".
"When you have good professionals in place, you have a number of layers of security that kick in, but you don't want to be confronted with that situation."
Mr Grossi said the IAEA would be offering support to the power plant team to see what lessons can be learnt from the incident.
"Given the fact that we have been working very closely with the UAE on this project since its inception, we felt that it was our duty to go here to express our support. Not only moral support, but technical."
Mr Grossi said last week the agency did not have the evidence required to blame Iran for the attack.
“There is a presumption, but it is not possible to determine with 100 per cent sureness the origin of this attack,” he said. “We need tangible proof of the origin of an attack.”
Mr Grossi said he was confident he could restore the agency’s relations with Iran after Tehran blamed him for giving Israel an excuse to attack its nuclear sites last year.
Iran has yet to resume its co-operation with the IAEA, after passing a law to suspend it shortly after the war in June last year.
Plant 'operating normally'
Hamad Al Kaabi, permanent representative of the UAE to the IAEA, underlined the seriousness of the attack and told of his pride at the plant's response.
He said the plant is operating normally after the drone strike.
"The integrity of the reactors, as well as the safety system with the plants are very well protected, and this is very important information for the public," Mr Al Kaabi told The National after the media briefing.
"It's been tested in drills and training exercises, and therefore the systems, the safety system, the reactors, continue to operate in a normal way, as expected."
He said the drone strike on a nuclear power plant represented a "major escalation"
"It is completely in violation of international norms and international laws," Mr Al Kaabi said. “So yes, it’s very serious for somebody to attack a nuclear power plant in a targeted way.
“The response has been very successful in terms of mitigating the potential consequences of the incident and ensuring the safety and security of Barakah.
“The risk is real. An attack on an operating nuclear power plant is not something you present as a small thing.
“These plants are built to withstand strong attacks. The safety systems are protected and continue to operate in a way that prevents any escalation of the incident to the public.”
