London Penthouses Linked to Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei Put Up for Sale
Two luxury London penthouses worth £36 million linked to Mojtaba Khamenei have been placed in receivership and put up for sale after Iranian banker Ali Ansari defaulted on his mortgages.
Two luxury penthouses in London linked to Iran's Mojtaba Khamenei, which were originally purchased for a combined £36 million, have been put up for sale, according to a report by The Sunday Times.
The apartments are located in Palace Green, a prestigious development overlooking Kensington Palace and situated near the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Both properties feature staff quarters and private roof terraces.
Premium Real Estate Under Receivership
One of the properties is a five-bedroom duplex spanning 3,944 square feet across the sixth and seventh floors. It was purchased for £19 million in 2016 but is now being offered for just under £12 million.
Knight Frank and Sotheby's International Realty are jointly marketing the apartment. The listing describes it as an "exceptional duplex penthouse with staff accommodation and unparalleled views over Kensington Gardens from one of London's most prestigious addresses."
The sales brochure does not disclose the politically sensitive connections of the property, but notes:
"Due to the property being in receivership, we do not have all the material information regarding it; therefore, you must ensure you make all relevant inquiries."
The second penthouse occupies the seventh and eighth floors of the same building. It was purchased for £16.75 million in 2014 and has also entered receivership.
Land Registry documents show that financial advisory firm Teneo has been appointed as the receiver. This apartment has not been publicly listed, leaving its asking price unknown. According to The Sunday Times, several potential buyers have already viewed the properties.
Sanctions and Mortgage Default
The registered owner of both apartments is Iranian banker Ali Ansari, who was sanctioned by the US Treasury in July as a "key financier" for Khamenei. Washington stated that Ansari "oversees a vast global network of assets benefiting Iran's leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and other regime elites."
Ansari was previously sanctioned by the UK over allegations of funding the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). His British assets were frozen, and he was banned from entering the country. He denies any wrongdoing.
The UK government reportedly authorized the sale of the two apartments after Ansari defaulted on his mortgage payments. The private lenders who financed the purchases appointed receivers to recover their funds, though the original loan amounts remain undisclosed.
Any remaining proceeds after the lenders are repaid are expected to be frozen as long as Ansari remains under sanctions. Staff at the Palace Green development reported that neither Khamenei nor Ansari has been seen at the property since the apartments were purchased.
