U.S tech giant, Snapchat, is extending its work from home order as Iranian threats continue to disrupt office working across the GCC.
According to sources inside the company, employees have been advised to work remotely until the Monday following Eid al-Fitr. The religious holiday is expected to run from Thursday, March 19, until Sunday, March 22, giving employees four days off.
Staff are currently scheduled to return to in-person work on Monday, March 23, pending further review.
The guidance was issued earlier this week by Snapchat’s global security team, as several UAE financial institutions have also extended remote working arrangements.
Standard Chartered has continued remote operations this week amid the heightened security concerns.
Iranian Threats
On Wednesday, Iranian military spokesperson Ebrahim Zolfaqari warned of potential attacks on banking targets in the Gulf in retaliation for reported U.S. strikes on a Tehran-linked bank, placing additional pressure on financial centres in the UAE and other GCC hubs, including Doha.
An administrative building linked to Bank Sepah, one of Iran’s largest state-owned banks with historical ties to the military, was reportedly struck overnight in Tehran.
On Friday, Dubai Media Office confirmed an intercepted strike in central Dubai close to DIFC. Competent authorities are managing a minor incident on the facade of a building in central Dubai.
Eyewitness reports say that the debris fell on the DIFC Innovation Hub.
Banking Operations
Citibank and Goldman Sachs have also advised employees to work remotely, while some Wall Street banks are supporting temporary relocation efforts out of the UAE, according to Bloomberg.
Despite the disruption to office working arrangements, business operations across the region remain fully functional.
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