For sale: Kensington penthouses ‘owned’ by Iran’s supreme leader

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, September 6, 2026

Two luxury penthouses in Kensington linked to Mojtaba Khamenei’s financial proxy, Ali Ansari, have been placed on the market after mortgage defaults and US- and UK-imposed sanctions froze his assets. The sale highlights ongoing efforts to seize assets tied to alleged illicit Iranian regime funding and raises scrutiny of covert financial networks operating within London’s high-end property sector.

Two luxury penthouse apartments overlooking Kensington Palace in London, linked to Iran’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, have been placed on the market following sanctions against an Iranian banker alleged to act on Khamenei’s behalf.

The properties, located at 3a Palace Green, a modern residential building near Kensington Palace Gardens, were purchased by Ali Ansari, 57, for nearly £36 million in total between 2014 and 2016. Ansari, believed to be a financial proxy for Khamenei, was blacklisted by the U.S. Treasury in July for allegedly managing an extensive global network of assets benefiting the Iranian regime and accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the Iranian people. He denies any wrongdoing.

One of the penthouses, a 3,944-square-foot duplex spanning the sixth and seventh floors, was acquired for £19 million in 2016. It is currently marketed jointly by Knight Frank and Sotheby’s International Realty with an asking price of just under £12 million, significantly below its purchase price. The other penthouse, covering the seventh and eighth floors and bought in 2014 for £16.75 million, is also under receivership but has not been publicly listed, leaving its sale price undisclosed.

Both apartments feature private roof terraces and staff accommodations and have attracted considerable interest, according to sources familiar with the sales process. However, notices accompanying the listings warn potential buyers to conduct thorough inquiries due to the properties being subject to receivership.

Ansari, who holds passports from Iran, Cyprus, and St Kitts and Nevis, resides in Dubai. He amassed a significant portfolio of properties in London’s most affluent neighborhoods, including multiple assets along The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, famously dubbed “Billionaires’ Row.” These holdings were reportedly purchased through shell companies registered offshore. His property acquisitions followed the founding of Ayandeh Bank in Iran in 2012, a family-owned institution that subsequently collapsed amid mounting debts and was dissolved in October last year, with liabilities absorbed by Iran’s state-owned Melli Bank.

The U.S. Treasury Department has accused Ansari of leveraging his position to extend excessive loans and embezzle funds from Iranian depositors, channeling illicit gains into real estate investments across the UK, Spain, Germany, Luxembourg, Cyprus, and the UAE. The UK government imposed sanctions on Ansari last October, freezing his assets in Britain and banning his travel, specifically citing allegations of financing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Following mortgage defaults on the Kensington flats, private lenders have appointed receivers to recover debts. The UK government has reportedly authorized the sale of the apartments, though any remaining profits are expected to remain frozen under existing sanctions.

The sale of these high-profile properties near the official residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales underscores concerns about covert financial networks linked to the Iranian regime operating within the luxury real estate market in London.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.