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"The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, visited the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, after a drone attack on the facility on May 17. Footage released by the Emirates News Agency (WAM) shows Grossi and the IAEA delegation arriving in the UAE and being welcomed by officials from the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation (FANR) and senior representatives from the Barakah nuclear power plant. The two sides can be seen discussing matters before conducting a tour of the Barakah facility. "I felt that it was my duty to be here to express our support, and not only moral support but also technical. We are working with the operator, as it was mentioned just now with the national regulator. So, it is a very comprehensive work that we are undertaking with them also. I mean, in general, but also in the context of the follow-up to this accident," Grossi said during the visit. The IAEA Director General further emphasised that the agency and the United Arab Emirates 'have been working very closely' since the earliest stages of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant project. Hamad Al Kaabi, Vice Chairman of the Board of Management of the UAE Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation, lauded Grossi’s visit, as it reflected "the international community’s prioritisation of nuclear safety at nuclear power plants around the world. It also highlights the significance of the strategic partnership between the UAE and the IAEA." He further reiterated that the UAE 'has a robust nuclear emergency preparedness and response system', stressing that the drone attack on the Barakah plant resulted in 'no radioactive release'. "All systems functioned, and operators followed all emergency protocols and procedures," Al Kaabi noted. Abu Dhabi authorities declared they had battled "a fire involving an electrical generator on the outer perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Al Dhafra on May 17, attributing the incident to a drone strike." On May 19, the UAE Ministry of Defence said its investigation had determined that the drones involved in the attack 'had originated from Iraqi territory'. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned the 'unprovoked terrorist drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory'. The incident drew broad regional and international condemnation, including from the United Nations Security Council. No entity had yet assumed responsibility for the attack at the time of publication. The UAE formally launched its peaceful nuclear energy programme in 2008."
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