Dubai Banks Evacuate Offices Over Iran Threats

Financial institutions in Dubai evacuated offices and instructed staff to work remotely on Wednesday, citing heightened security risks after Iranian military officials threatened to target U.S. and Israel-linked banking and economic assets across the Middle East.

Citigroup directed employees to leave its offices in the Dubai International Financial Centre and the Oud Metha district until further notice, according to a company memo and sources familiar with the matter. Standard Chartered, a British bank with a significant presence in the United Arab Emirates, also began evacuating staff from its Dubai locations, prompting remote work arrangements. Consulting firms Deloitte and PwC took similar steps: Deloitte asked employees to vacate its DIFC office in the afternoon, while PwC planned to close operations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Kuwait for the rest of the week. Employees at several other companies in the DIFC reported evacuations as precautionary measures. A Citigroup spokesperson stated the bank was implementing steps to ensure staff safety and business continuity. Standard Chartered and the other firms declined immediate comment.