Citi evacuates Dubai offices amid Iranian threats against US-linked banks

US financial services group Citi has asked employees in Dubai to evacuate its offices due to heightened security concerns following Iranian threats to target US- and Israeli-linked financial institutions in the region.

According to a source familiar with the situation, employees were instructed on Wednesday to leave Citi offices located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Oud Metha district.

Employees working for two other companies in the DIFC also told AFP that they had evacuated their offices as a precautionary measure after the threats.

In a related development, two sources told Reuters that the British bank Standard Chartered had also begun evacuating staff from its Dubai offices as financial institutions increased security measures.

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Dubai has developed into a major global financial centre, hosting offices of leading international banks including JPMorgan, HSBC and Standard Chartered, along with numerous law firms and asset management companies.

The precautionary measures came after a spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command warned that Tehran could target US and Israeli-linked economic and banking interests in the region following an attack on an Iranian bank.

Amid the escalating conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel, many employees of both foreign and local companies in the region have begun working remotely.

The conflict has already led to missile strikes across parts of the Middle East, causing casualties, damage to infrastructure and disruption to regional air travel.

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