Luxury London Apartments Linked to Iran's Supreme Leader Go On Sale Near Israeli Embassy

Two luxury apartments located near the Israeli Embassy in London, reportedly linked to Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, have been put up for sale, according to the Sunday Times. The properties at 3a Palace Green in Kensington were acquired in 2014 and 2016 through various corporate structures. Their close proximity to the Israeli diplomatic mission had previously raised concerns, with some British experts suggesting they could have served as an observation post. The sale is believed to be connected to sanctions imposed on Iranian banker Ali Ansari, whom London and Washington accuse of acting as a financial intermediary for Khamenei and other Iranian officials. Ansari denies these allegations and any financial or personal ties to the Supreme Leader or the Revolutionary Guards.

One apartment, purchased for 19 million pounds in 2016, is now listed at 12 million pounds. The second was bought for 16.75 million pounds in 2014. Both residences feature staff quarters and private terraces. These apartments are reportedly part of a much larger real estate portfolio attributed to Khamenei by various press investigations, which have pointed to over a dozen London properties acquired through a network of shell companies and intermediaries.

The location of these properties has also fueled concerns about Iranian intelligence activities in the UK. Experts have suggested that the proximity to the embassy could theoretically allow for surveillance of personnel and visitor movements. This development follows a March incident where two men appeared in British court, suspected of spying for Iran against several Israeli and Jewish sites in London.