At UN Security Council: Pakistan condemns drone attacks on UAE, Saudi Arabia

NEW YORK: Pakistan on Tuesday strongly condemned drone attacks targeting the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, warning that strikes on nuclear facilities represent a grave violation of international law and pose serious risks to regional and global security.

Speaking at a UN Security Council briefing on “The Situation in the Middle East,” Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, said that Islamabad stood in “complete solidarity” with the UAE and Saudi Arabia following the attacks.

Pakistan “strongly condemns the drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates on 17 May,” Ahmad said, adding that Pakistan supported the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all friendly regional states.

He also condemned in “the strongest possible terms” drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, calling them a violation of the kingdom’s sovereignty and an attempt to undermine regional stability.

“Pakistan stands in solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and reaffirms its full and unwavering support for the Kingdom’s security, peace and prosperity,” he said.

Ahmad warned that any targeting of nuclear facilities constituted a serious breach of international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law, as well as safety standards established under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

“Nuclear installations must never be targeted under any circumstances,” he said, adding that the inviolability of civilian nuclear infrastructure was a “well-established international norm” that must be upheld without exception.

He said increasing incidents of attacks on nuclear facilities required urgent international attention due to the potential for catastrophic consequences for human life, the environment, and regional stability.

“Such reckless actions carry potentially catastrophic and irreversible consequences for human life, the environment, and regional as well as global peace and security,” he warned.

The Pakistani envoy said the recent attacks highlighted the urgent need to end escalating tensions in the Middle East, urging all parties to exercise maximum restraint and comply with international law.

“Pakistan calls upon all parties to exercise maximum restraint and avoid any actions that could further escalate tensions with consequences extending far beyond the region,” he said.

He added that dialogue and diplomacy remained the only viable path toward de-escalation and lasting peace, echoing remarks made by the IAEA Director General and other Council members.

Ahmad said Pakistan had been making “sincere efforts” to facilitate diplomatic engagement between relevant parties and thanked the UN Secretary-General and international partners for supporting those efforts.

“There is no alternative to diplomacy and dialogue for the peaceful resolution of disputes,” he said, adding that Pakistan would continue to play a constructive role in facilitating negotiations.