ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Monday condemned a recent drone strike near the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant and urged all parties involved in the US-Iran conflict to exercise maximum restraint amid rising regional tensions.
The Abu Dhabi Media Office said the strike on Sunday caused a fire in an electrical generator located outside the plant’s inner perimeter. Authorities reported no casualties and said radiation levels remained normal.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack, and the United Arab Emirates has not publicly blamed any party.
However, Iran has previously launched missile and drone attacks against Gulf states, including the UAE, before agreeing to a fragile ceasefire with the United States in April. Attacks targeting the UAE have reportedly continued despite the truce.
“Pakistan strongly condemns the drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates on May 17, 2026,” Pakistan’s foreign office said in a statement.
It added that Pakistan stands in full solidarity with the people and government of the UAE.
The foreign office described attacks on nuclear facilities as a grave violation of international law, humanitarian law, the United Nations Charter, and international nuclear safety principles outlined by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
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Pakistan Strongly Condemns the Drone Attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant of the United Arab Emirates
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— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) May 18, 2026
“Nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances,” the statement said.
It warned that such actions could trigger catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment, and regional and global security.
Pakistan also called on all sides in the US-Iran conflict to avoid further escalation and fulfil their obligations under international law.
“Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path toward lasting peace, stability and de-escalation in the region,” the foreign office said.
Several Arab countries also condemned the attack. Saudi Arabia said the strike threatened regional security and reaffirmed solidarity with the UAE.
Kuwait, Bahrain, and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit also denounced the attack.
The development comes amid ongoing tensions between the United States and Iran, which have remained locked in conflict since February.
On Sunday, US President Donald Trump warned Tehran to move quickly toward a peace agreement.
“For Iran, the clock is ticking,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “They better get moving fast, or there won’t be anything left of them.”
