Regional Financial Hubs on High Alert: Iran Threatens "Economic Centers" as U.S. and Israel Ramp Up 'Operation Epic Fury'

Global banks shutter branches and evacuate offices in Dubai and Qatar after Iran flags US-Israeli financial interests as military targets.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 12, 2026, 6:06 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Al Arabiya, Reuters, and Türkiye Today.

Iran’s Retaliatory "Bank War" Declaration

The Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters, Iran’s central military operational command, issued a chilling warning on Wednesday, March 11, advising civilians to maintain a one-kilometer (1,000-meter) radius from any banking institution linked to the U.S. or Israel. The military spokesperson stated that "the enemy has given us free rein" to target these centers following an "illegitimate" strike on a Bank Sepah facility in Tehran. This facility was not only a historical military link but also a critical data center responsible for paying the salaries of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian regular military.

Global Lenders Trigger Contingency Protocols

The threat has sent shockwaves through the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and other Middle Eastern financial hubs:

HSBC: Announced the closure of all branches in Qatar until further notice, citing customer and staff safety.

Citigroup: Evacuated three office buildings in the UAE, including the DIFC and Oud Metha districts, moving all staff to remote work.