UAE calls on Iraq to tighten airspace control after Barakah strike
Shafaq News- Abu Dhabi
The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday urged Baghdad to tighten control over its airspace after drones reportedly launched from Iraqi territory targeted the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant.
The Emirati Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the “treacherous terrorist attacks” against civilian infrastructure in Gulf Cooperation Council states, describing them as a violation of sovereignty, international law, and the United Nations Charter.
الإمارات تُدين بشدة الاعتداءات الإرهابية التي استهدفت محطة براكة بطائرات مسيّرة من الأراضي العراقية pic.twitter.com/zlYZ1D8zW5
— MoFA وزارة الخارجية (@mofauae) May 20, 2026
Located in the Al Dhafra region west of Abu Dhabi near the Saudi border, the Barakah nuclear plant is the UAE’s only nuclear energy facility and one of the largest clean energy projects in the Arab world. It came under attack last Sunday, when a drone strike sparked a fire outside the facility. No impact was recorded on radiation safety or core operations.
Iraq later denounced the attack and reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining strong relations and strategic cooperation with Abu Dhabi, while describing ties between the two countries as part of broader Arab efforts serving mutual interests.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq (IRI) has not publicly commented on the incident. The IRI, an umbrella network of Iran-aligned Iraqi armed factions, previously claimed multiple drone and missile attacks targeting regional sites during the recent Iran-US conflict.
