The United Arab Emirates has ordered the closure of a hospital in Dubai linked to the Iranian government, as tensions escalate between the two countries.
Truthlive news learnt that Staff at the facility told AFP news agency that they had been instructed to leave following the decision, which comes amid a wider deterioration in relations between the UAE and Iran.
The hospital, operated by the Iranian Red Crescent Society, employs more than 700 people and is one of the oldest healthcare institutions in the UAE.
A UAE official said “certain institutions directly linked to the Iranian regime” would be shut as part of targeted measures after being found to violate local laws.
The official added that the closures would be carried out in an orderly manner to ensure that essential services continue.
The move follows weeks of heightened regional tensions. Since late February, Iran has launched missile and drone attacks targeting Gulf states, including the UAE, after strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets.
According to reports, more than 2,000 attacks have been directed at the UAE, significantly straining diplomatic ties.
In response, the UAE has recalled its ambassador to Iran and shut down its diplomatic mission.
Staff at the hospital said they were informed of the closure during a meeting and asked to vacate the premises within days.
“We never expected it to happen so quickly,” one doctor told AFP, adding that security personnel were present at the facility shortly after the announcement.
Patients have since been transferred to other hospitals in Dubai, while the hospital’s website has been taken offline.
The closures appear to extend beyond healthcare. Members of the Iranian community said several Iranian-linked schools in Dubai have also been shut, and a cultural club associated with Iran has suspended its activities.
Authorities in the UAE have also announced the arrest of individuals linked to networks accused of attempting to infiltrate the country’s economy.
Despite long-standing cultural and economic ties between the two nations, the recent conflict has raised uncertainty for many Iranians living in the UAE.
Some hospital staff said they now face an uncertain future.
“We came here to build a life away from difficulties at home,” one employee said. “It is difficult to see everything change so suddenly.”
