A major investigation has revealed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the influential son of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is linked to two luxury apartments in west London overlooking the
Israeli Embassy — a discovery that security experts say could pose a significant national security concern.
The properties, located in Kensington and valued at more than £50 million, sit less than 50 metres from the Israeli diplomatic compound. Their elevated position provides a direct line of sight into parts of the embassy complex, prompting warnings that the apartments could potentially be used for surveillance.
Prime location near Kensington Palace
The apartments occupy the sixth and seventh floors of an upscale residential building on Palace Green, one of London’s most exclusive streets. The building also includes ground-floor servants’ quarters.
The address places the properties just steps from Kensington Palace, the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales, and within one of the capital’s most heavily guarded neighbourhoods.
According to records uncovered in a year-long investigation by Bloomberg, the apartments were purchased in 2014 and 2016 for £16.7 million and £19 million respectively.
Ownership hidden behind associates
The investigation suggests the properties were acquired through Ali Ansari, an Iranian businessman described as a close family associate of Mojtaba Khamenei.
Property documents indicate that the flats are among a wider portfolio of UK real estate connected to Ansari, including 11 luxury mansions in Hampstead’s Bishops Avenue — a street often referred to as “Billionaire’s Row.”
Those Hampstead properties were reportedly purchased in 2013 through a shell company registered in the Isle of Man called Birch Ventures Limited.
Together, the London holdings are estimated to be worth around £200 million, though many of the homes are reportedly empty or in a state of disrepair.
Experts warn of potential surveillance risks
Security specialists say the proximity of the Kensington apartments to the Israeli Embassy raises serious concerns.
Roger Macmillan, a counter-terrorism analyst and former security director at the Iranian dissident broadcaster Iran International, warned that the location could theoretically allow surveillance activities.
“With two apartments overlooking the back of the embassy from less than 50 metres away, you’re looking at a potential permanent surveillance platform,” he said.
Experts note that such a vantage point could enable:
- Monitoring of embassy staff and visitors
- High-resolution photography of the compound
- Potential interception of wireless networks
- Audio surveillance of outdoor conversations using specialized equipment
Wider concerns about Iranian influence
The revelations come amid growing scrutiny of Iranian activities in the UK.
Earlier this week, four men were arrested in north London on suspicion of spying for Iran’s intelligence services. Authorities believe the suspects may have been surveilling Jewish locations and individuals in the capital.
Six additional people were arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, though sources say they are not believed to be linked to a specific plot.
Sanctions freeze properties
All 13 properties linked to the investigation — including the Kensington apartments — have been placed under UK Treasury financial restrictions since October last year.
The measures prevent the homes from being sold following sanctions imposed on Ansari. The Treasury accuses him of acting as a “corrupt banker” who financed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Dispute over allegations
Ansari’s legal team strongly rejects the claims.
His lawyer, Roger Gherson, said his client “vehemently denies any financial relationship with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or with Mojtaba Khamenei.” He also confirmed that Ansari plans to challenge the sanctions imposed by the UK government.
Meanwhile, the Israeli Embassy in London declined to comment on the report.
Anti-corruption groups raise alarm
Transparency advocates say the case highlights weaknesses in Britain’s property market that allow overseas political elites to quietly acquire high-value assets.
A spokesperson for Transparency International warned that lax safeguards against money laundering can have “direct national security implications,” making the UK attractive to powerful figures from authoritarian regimes seeking to move wealth abroad. Photo by Tasnim News Agency, Wikimedia commons.
