Club of Iranians, Dubai
Iranian community centre in Dubai founded 1990; closed by UAE order in March 2026.
Last refreshed: 1 April 2026
Dubai's Iranian community built 35 years of institutions; can that survive a wartime purge?
Latest on Club of Iranians, Dubai
- Which Iranian institutions were closed in Dubai?
- The Iranian Hospital, five schools, Club of Iranians, Islamic Azad University branch, and Imam Hossein Mosque were all closed around 14 March 2026.Source: Wana EN
- How many Iranians live in Dubai?
- Estimates exceed 400,000, making it one of the largest Iranian diaspora communities.
Background
The Club of Iranians, Dubai was a community centre founded in 1990 serving the Iranian expatriate population in Dubai. It functioned as a social and cultural hub for one of the UAE's largest foreign communities.
Around 14 March 2026, UAE authorities ordered the club's closure alongside the Iranian Hospital, five Iranian community schools, Islamic Azad University's UAE branch, and the Imam Hossein Mosque . A UAE official described the closures as targeting 'institutions directly linked to the Iranian regime and the IRGC.'
The closure signals a permanent rupture in UAE-Iran civilian ties that had survived decades of geopolitical tension. Dubai's Iranian community, estimated at over 400,000 before the conflict, built significant commercial and cultural infrastructure that is now being systematically dismantled.
