DUBAI, March 16 - Citigroup ( C ) is keeping

most branches and offices in the UAE closed until further notice

after temporarily closing them last week, the bank said on

Monday, the latest sign of the impact on the industry of the

Iran war.

Now in its third week, the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has so

far killed at least 2,000 people and thrown global energy

markets and transport into chaos as the conflict has spread

across the Middle East.

Multiple hits on Dubai, including on its airport and

international financial center where many banks have offices,

have dented the emirate's status as a regional safe haven for

tourism and business.

Citi's move shows the challenges banks are facing since the

start of the war to keep businesses running while temporarily

shutting client-facing operations. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary

Guard Corps said last week it would attack banks affiliated with

the United States and Israel after a bank was hit in Tehran.

HSBC ( HSBC ), another major global bank, said on Monday it

had also closed some UAE branches until further notice but that

its customer service centres in malls remained available. The

bank has closed all but one of its branches in Qatar until

further notice.

Citi had $17.3 billion in exposure to the UAE at the end of

2025, including loans.

In an earlier message to clients on Saturday, Citibank

directed customers to its online service and mobile app,

stressing that despite the branch closures it was continuing to

serve clients in the UAE and Bahrain "without interruption".

A branch in the Mall of the Emirates central Dubai remains

open, operating on reduced hours, it said.