The International Atomic Energy Agency is following developments at the Barakah plant and is ready to assist when needed

The United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency is closely monitoring the situation at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Abu Dhabi, through constant communication with the competent Emirati authorities, expressing its full readiness to provide assistance when needed.

This came in statements made by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, this evening, in which he renewed the Secretary-General’s deep concern regarding reports received by the United Nations, which indicated that there had been drone attacks that set fire to an electric generator yesterday within the vicinity of the Barakah station.

Haq considered that any attacks on nuclear facilities are completely unacceptable, stressing the need to condemn them as a flagrant violation of international law, and stressed that no other attacks should be launched near civilian infrastructure, including nuclear power plants.

The Deputy Spokesman noted the repeated warnings issued by the Secretary-General regarding any further escalation of the conflict in the Middle East, considering that the reports about the attack on the vicinity of the Barakah station constitute an additional reason that must push all parties to stop the fighting completely.

In response to a question about Iran’s intransigent position regarding the Strait of Hormuz, Haq warned that this development has caused a huge problem for the world, explaining that it will ultimately lead to a shortage of fuel and fertilizers, creating various crises that include high inflation rates, low growth, and a food crisis in the future, which will particularly affect developing countries that are less able to bear these consequences.

In this context, he reiterated the Secretary-General’s stressing position on the necessity of restoring basic freedom of navigation in the region, in accordance with what is stipulated in the Law of the Sea and other relevant international laws.

The Deputy Official Spokesman, in response to another question regarding Iran’s announcement of the establishment of a new body called the “Arabian Gulf Strait Authority” to regulate traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, expressed the United Nations’ categorical rejection of any party that aims to restrict freedom of navigation, whether on the high seas or in the Strait of Hormuz.

Regarding the proposal recently put forward by Iran to transfer enriched uranium to Russia instead of the United States, Haq referred to the clear position of the United Nations rejecting any other country possessing nuclear weapons or nuclear weapons programs, stressing that the primary goal must ultimately focus on reducing the level of threat these weapons pose in the world.