Reports have emerged linking Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, to two opulent apartments in London with views of the Israeli Embassy, a location security experts suggest could facilitate “permanent surveillance.”
These luxurious properties, valued at millions, are situated in Kensington, adjacent to the prominent embassy. This revelation follows a yearlong investigation by UK media, which aimed to uncover Khamenei’s potential international investments.
The Times of London highlighted on March 5 that one of these residences is positioned directly next to the Israeli Embassy on Palace Green, providing an extraordinary vantage point over one of Israel’s key diplomatic sites.
Media reports have connected Mojtaba Khamenei to these London apartments, with security analysts raising concerns about potential Iranian surveillance capabilities due to their strategic location.
A Bloomberg investigation uncovered these details, suggesting Khamenei’s international holdings might include high-value properties in London worth approximately $138 million, alongside assets in Europe and the Gulf region.
The Kensington apartments, reportedly purchased through intermediaries in 2014 and 2016, occupy upper floors, granting a clear view of the rear of the Israeli embassy compound, according to UK media sources.
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.
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