March 16 - Citibank said most of its branches and

offices in the UAE will continue to be closed until further

notice, part of a broader banking industry response to

deteriorating security conditions due to the Iran war.

The bank had initially planned to reopen on Monday. The Mall

of the Emirates branch in central Dubai remains the sole

exception, operating on reduced hours, it said in a message to

customers on Saturday.

Banks in the region have sent staff home as the conflict

deepened, particularly after Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard

Corps threatened to attack economic centers and banks affiliated

with U.S. and Israeli entities.

Clients have been directed to Citibank Online and the Citi

Mobile app for their banking needs, according to the message on

Saturday. It stressed that despite the branch closures, "Citi

continues to serve clients in UAE and Bahrain without

interruption."