Iranian Regime Figures Acquire Lavish London Mansions in Multi-Million Pound Property Spree
Senior figures within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corp (IRGC) have allegedly purchased some of London's most exclusive mansions as part of a multi-million pound shopping spree. The regime's network of cronies has acquired acres of land through shell companies and intermediaries in prestigious neighbourhoods including Hampstead, St John's Wood, and Kensington.
Billionaire's Row Properties Fall into Disrepair
This includes mansions on The Bishops Avenue in Hampstead, famously known as Billionaire's Row. Ali Aliakbar Ansari, labelled a corrupt banker by the UK government last year and accused of funding 'hostile activity' by the IRGC, bought 11 palatial properties in 2013 for £73 million. He purchased these mansions via Birch Ventures Limited, based in the tax haven of the Isle of Man, and has since allowed the properties to fall into a state of disrepair.
A year later, the now-sanctioned Ansari bought a 1.2-acre newbuild property for £33.7 million, and in 2017, he purchased a flat in one of the street's gated developments for £8.1 million. Each transaction on this street, once frequented by Princess Diana, has been considered a stain on its pristine legacy, with the road now resembling a dumping ground.
Alleged Involvement of Ayatollah's Son
Meanwhile, a western intelligence assessment has claimed that Mojtaba Khamenei, the deceased Ayatollah's son who is tipped to become the next supreme leader, was involved in these transactions. It is believed he had Ansari purchase and manage his personal property portfolio, including those on The Bishops Avenue.
And it wasn't just Hampstead that Ansari and Khamenei targeted. Two high-end apartments were also acquired in a mansion block a stone's throw away from Kensington Palace. The duo responsible for turning what was once the most sought-after street in London into a 'ghost town' are a stark example of how IRGC members invested in properties but failed to maintain them.
Industry Facilitation and Sanctions Impact
The extravagant purchases were, however, encouraged by industry leaders at the time, who appeared to actively facilitate the 'dodgy' Iranians. In 2016, sanctions were lifted after the Iran nuclear deal was brokered. Becky Fatemi, of luxury property agency Rokstone, said at the time: 'Without a doubt the new political thaw will generate a significant flow of wealthy Iranian families looking for homes in London and the Home Counties.'
She added: 'The new generation will be rich business people who have done well in Republican Iran. It's a whole new generation and outlook.' While the dealings of Ansari are the most ostentatious example, sources have claimed St John's Wood is also a hotspot for 'duplicitous' homeowners, with many crediting the suburb's proximity to The School of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Further Disclosures and Comparisons to Russia
The Daily Mail can also disclose that Reza Samizadeh, who was at one point the CEO of Iran Mall—the Tehran shopping centre funded by Ali Ansari's Ayandeh Bank—occupied a property owned by The Crown Estate. Samizadeh was appointed as director of IMCC Europe Limited in 2016, a shell company connected to past associates of sanctioned Ansari.
While most Iranian buyers have been able to fly under the radar, property experts believe that the longer the war rages, more homes will be abandoned, exposing their owners. The situation has been likened to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which saw oligarch-owned properties in some of London's most affluent areas disintegrate.
Henry Sherwood, founder of The Buying Agents, told the Daily Mail: 'You never know the volume of ownership because most of them are in convoluted purchase structures. But in terms of all the sanctioned lists, it will be the same as what happened with Russia; the owners literally cannot do anything. Nothing can be done.'
So if the 2016 Iranian property boom is anything to go by, then the £1 billion worth of housing bought may start to crumble before our eyes, and Billionaire's Row will be the least of our worries. Ali Ansari has previously denied working as a conduit for Khamenei and stated that he plans to challenge the government's sanctions. Becky Fatemi and the Crown Estate have been contacted for comment.
