Investigations link European luxury properties to associates of Iran’s new leader Mojtaba Khamenei

A network of luxury properties across Europe, including high-end hotels in Germany and prime real estate in London, has been linked to associates of Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, according to investigations by Bloomberg and the Financial Times.

The reports suggest the 56-year-old cleric, long viewed as an influential behind-the-scenes figure within Iran’s political establishment, may have overseen a complex international investment network stretching from Tehran to major European cities, including London and Frankfurt.

The allegations surfaced just days after Iran’s Assembly of Experts formally appointed Mojtaba Khamenei as the country’s third supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in wartime strikes on February 28.

In a statement announcing the decision, the clerical body said it had chosen Mojtaba Khamenei to lead the Islamic Republic. “By a decisive vote, the Assembly of Experts appointed Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei as the third leader of the sacred system of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” the assembly said.

Luxury property network across Europe

According to investigations by Bloomberg and the Financial Times, a range of high-value assets across Europe and North America have been linked to associates within the network. Among the properties identified are the Hilton Frankfurt Gravenbruch in Germany, luxury mansions on Bishops Avenue in London, a golf resort in Mallorca, a ski hotel in Austria, and a luxury apartment in Paris.

Investigators also pointed to a penthouse at the Four Seasons Private Residences Toronto and several high-end properties across London valued at more than $138 million. Overall, the portfolio of properties linked to the network is estimated to be worth roughly €400 million and spans multiple countries, including Germany, Spain, France, and the United Kingdom.

Role of intermediaries and offshore firms

According to Bloomberg’s year-long investigation, the assets are not held directly in Mojtaba Khamenei’s name but are instead controlled through intermediaries and offshore companies. Corporate records reviewed by investigators suggest many of the purchases were made through companies linked to Iranian businessman Ali Ansari.

Ansari, a construction magnate and former banker, has been identified in intelligence assessments as a key financial intermediary connected to the property network. The Financial Times reported that Ansari’s European real estate portfolio alone could be worth about €400 million.

Documents reviewed in the investigation show the properties are held through a web of offshore companies registered in jurisdictions including Luxembourg, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Austria, Germany, and Spain.

Bloomberg also reported that funds used in several transactions were routed through banks in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Sources cited in the report suggested that some of the money may have originated from revenues linked to Iranian oil sales.

Frankfurt hotel highlighted

One of the most prominent assets identified in the investigation is the Hilton Frankfurt Gravenbruch, a five-star hotel located near Frankfurt’s financial district. Corporate filings indicate the property has been owned since 2011 through companies linked to Ansari and his associates.

Denials and sanctions

Ali Ansari has denied acting as a financial proxy for Mojtaba Khamenei. In a statement issued through his lawyer, Ansari said he “strongly denies that he has ever had any financial or personal relationship with Mojtaba Khamenei.”

Ansari was sanctioned by the United Kingdom government in October 2025 for allegedly supporting activities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. He has said he intends to challenge those sanctions.

Neither Mojtaba Khamenei nor Iranian authorities responded to requests for comment from Bloomberg regarding the allegations. Analysts say the reported property network illustrates how Iranian elites may have moved significant capital abroad despite decades of Western sanctions targeting the country’s leadership.

The revelations come as Mojtaba Khamenei assumes leadership of Iran at a time of escalating regional tensions and growing international scrutiny of the country’s political and financial networks.