₹459 crore, 5 bedrooms and near the Israeli Embassy: Inside Mojtaba Khamenei-linked London homes up for sale
Two apartments believed to be owned by Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei in London have been put up for sale, The Sunday Times reported. The Iran-linked apartments are located close to the Israeli Embassy in the British capital.
The Daily Mail, quoting a terrorism and security specialist, described the location of the apartments as “Iran owns the view into the back of the Israeli Embassy from less than 50 meters away.”
The luxury London penthouses, bought in 2014 and 2016 for a combined £36 million, around ₹459.54 crore, are located at 3a Palace Green. Both properties have staff accommodation and private roof terraces, the outlet reported.
The first penthouse, a five-bedroom duplex spanning 3,944 square feet across the sixth and seventh floors, is being offered for under £12 million, around ₹153.17 crore.
Knight Frank and Sotheby’s International Realty have been appointed to jointly market the property, which is being offered as a luxury duplex penthouse. The listing highlights its staff accommodation and describes it as “an exceptional duplex penthouse with staff accommodation and commanding unrivalled views across Kensington Gardens from one of London’s most prestigious addresses.”
However, the sales brochure makes no mention of the property’s politically sensitive links. Instead, it cautions potential buyers about the limited information available, stating: “Due to the property being in receivership, we do not have all of the material information for the property; therefore you should ensure you make all relevant inquiries,” according to the report.
The second apartment, bought for £16.75 million in 2014 and occupying the seventh and eighth floors of the same building, does not have a public listing, so its sale price is unknown.
Iranian banker Ali Ansari is the registered owner of both apartments. The US Treasury sanctioned him in July, describing him as a “key financier” for Khamenei. Washington said Ansari “oversees a sprawling global network of assets benefiting Iran’s leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and other regime elites.”
The UK had already imposed sanctions on Ansari, accusing him of providing financial support to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. As part of the measures, his assets in Britain were frozen and he was prohibited from entering the country. Ansari is understood to deny the allegations.
Why are the apartments being sold?
According to The Sunday Times, the British government is believed to have approved the sale of the two properties after Ansari failed to meet his mortgage payments. Private lenders that had financed the purchases subsequently appointed receivers to recover the outstanding funds. The original amount borrowed against the apartments has not been disclosed.
Any money left from the sale after the lenders have recovered their dues is expected to remain frozen for as long as Ansari is subject to sanctions.
The newspaper reported that staff at the Palace Green development have not seen either Ansari or Khamenei since the apartments were acquired.
Mojtaba Khamenei has also remained out of the public eye since his father was killed in US-Israeli airstrikes in February. He has made no public appearances or statements since then, leaving uncertainty over his whereabouts and condition.
