Two luxury London properties linked to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, were bought for a combined total of £36 million, and have been put up for sale, as reported by The Sunday Times.
Located at 3a Palace Green, in an exclusive development overlooking Kensington Palace, the penthouses are also close to the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales. One of the properties is a five-bedroom duplex that spreads across the sixth and seventh floors of the building. Originally purchased in 2016 for £19 million, it is now being offered for just under £12 million, according to the report.
The penthouse is being marketed jointly by Knight Frank and Sotheby's International Realty. The listing 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."
The politically sensitive connections of the property were not mentioned in the report, but it was noted that "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." The second penthouse, spread over the seventh and eighth floors of the same building, was bought for £16.75 million in 2014 and has also entered receivership.
According to the report, Land Registry documents indicate that financial advisory firm Teneo was appointed as the receiver of the second properly. It added that the apartment has seemingly not been publicly listed, and that its asking price is unknown. Both penthouses are equipped with staff accommodation and private roof terraces, according to The Sunday Times. The report noted there has been significant interest in the properties and that several prospective buyers are believed to have viewed them.
Iranian banker Ali Ansari is the registered owner of both apartments. In July, Ansari was sanctioned by the US Treasury as Khamenei's "key financier." The treasury said that Ansari "oversees a sprawling global network of assets benefiting Iran's leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and other regime elites."
Following prior allegations that he had financed the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ansari was sanctioned by Britain; his British assets were frozen, and he was barred from entering Britain. The Iranian banker has allegedly denied any wrongdoing.
According to The Sunday Times, the British government reportedly authorized the sale of the two properties after Ansari defaulted on their mortgages. The private lenders involved in financing the purchases appointed receivers in an effort to recover their money, although the original amount borrowed remains unknown. Once the lenders have been repaid, any proceeds remaining are expected to be frozen as Ansari remains under sanctions.
Since the purchase of both apartments, neither Khamenei nor Ansari have been sighted at the Palace Green development.
After his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was elminated in US-Israeli airstrikes in February, Mojtaba Khamenei has not been seen or heard publicly, rendering his current condition and circumstances unknown.
