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Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been linked to two opulent apartments in London with views of the Israeli Embassy, a strategic location that security analysts suggest could allow for continuous observation, according to various reports.
These luxurious properties, worth several million dollars, are situated in Kensington, adjacent to the prominent embassy complex. They were pinpointed by UK media following a comprehensive year-long investigation into Khamenei’s potential foreign holdings.
The Times of London revealed on March 5 that one of these buildings is located directly next to the Israeli Embassy on Palace Green. This places the residences alarmingly close to one of Israel’s most sensitive diplomatic locations.
Media outlets have connected Mojtaba Khamenei to these London apartments near the Israeli Embassy in Kensington. Experts caution that the placement could facilitate Iranian monitoring of the embassy.
The findings are part of a Bloomberg investigation, which indicates that the Khamenei family might have an extensive international property portfolio. This includes high-value London real estate estimated at approximately $138 million, along with assets in various parts of Europe and the Gulf.
The two London apartments were reportedly acquired in 2014 and 2016 via intermediaries and occupy upper floors of the building, offering a direct vantage point toward the rear of the Israeli embassy compound, UK media reported.
A terrorism specialist quoted in reports said the positioning effectively means “Iran owns the view into the back of the Israeli Embassy from less than 50 meters away,” describing the situation as a potential “serious security breach.”
In this picture obtained from Iran’s ISNA news agency, Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, looks on in Tehran on October 13, 2024. (Hamed JAFARNEJAD / ISNA / AFP via Getty Images)
Roger Macmillan, a former director of security at the Iranian dissident satellite channel Iran International, also said the two apartments had “a direct line of sight, held through Mojtaba Khamenei. That’s not a property portfolio — it’s a permanent surveillance platform.”
“This is a serious security breach,” he added.
Further details from Bloomberg’s investigation indicated that a businessman acted as a financial conduit, buying up high-end properties on Khamenei’s behalf and channeling funds through a network of investments.
Mojtaba Khamenei has been linked to two London apartments overlooking the Israeli Embassy, which a security expert says form a permanent surveillance platform, reports say. (Vudi Xhymshiti/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The investigation also found that 11 mansions on London’s “Billionaire’s Row” were purchased using an Isle of Man shell company.
The Financial Times has also similarly reported on links between Khamenei’s associates and luxury assets across Europe.
Khamenei, 56, has been viewed as a powerful figure within Iran’s ruling establishment, ultimately becoming the leading successor to his father, who was killed in a Tehran compound strike on Feb. 28.
So far, since he was selected by Iran’s Assembly of Experts, he has not been seen in public.