A British bank has started the evacuation of personnel from its offices in Dubai after receiving a warning that Tehran plans to target US and Israeli banks throughout the Middle East.
Standard Chartered, headquartered in London, maintains a significant presence in the United Arab Emirates, with offices located in the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC), a financial center that hosts numerous major international banks and law firms.
In the wake of US and Israeli strikes on Iran, many employees at both foreign and local companies have been working remotely, as Tehran retaliated by launching missiles at various locations throughout the Middle East, resulting in destruction and fatalities across the Gulf, along with significant travel disruptions.
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Iran vows to deliver ‘painful response’
Following the US’s harshest day of strikes against Iran to date, the Islamic Republic has promised to deliver a “painful response” to American and Israeli banks, which coincides with the evacuation.
Iran has already attempted to threaten the global economy by blocking the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit that enables the transportation of almost 20% of the world’s oil.
In addition, the regime claims that US-affiliated businesses will be the “next targets” of its bombing attacks after US-Israeli forces allegedly attacked Bank Sepah, an Iranian bank with ties to the military, in Tehran overnight.
It has cautioned individuals in the Middle East to maintain a distance of at least 1 kilometer from these institutions, as it has threatened to obliterate them.
Iran slams US-Israeli strikes
The central military command of the Islamic Republic, as reported by state media, stated: “Following their failed campaign, the terrorist US army and cruel Zionist regime have targeted one of the country’s banks.”
“With this illegitimate and uncommon action, the enemy is forcing our hand to target economic centres and banks linked to the US and Zionist regime in the region.”
According to Iranian state media, multiple bank employees lost their lives in the assault on a bank located in northern Tehran.
Iran has persistently targeted Israel and US allies in the Gulf as a form of retaliation for the assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Wednesday morning, two drones struck Dubai International Airport, resulting in injuries to four individuals.