Iran's supreme leader favourite linked to £73m portfolio of mansions in plush London neighbourhood

AN Iranian banker sanctioned over his links to the nation's despotic regime has been allowed to keep his property empire in one of London's richest neighbourhoods.

- BY JONATHAN WALKER Whitehall Editor

Mansions in The Bishops Avenue, known as Billionaire's Row, were purchased for £73million by a firm owned by Ali Ansari, who the government accused of activities "intended to cause the destabilisation of the United Kingdom". He denies the claims.

Mr Ansari is believed to be a front for Mojtaba Khamenei, said to be the real owner.

Khamenei, the second-eldest son of Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, is now the favourite to take over the government of Iran, after his father was killed in Israeli and US air strikes.

The Conservatives are now demanding an urgent investigation into fears the UK has become a haven for people linked to the Iran government to hide their wealth, as Britain's allies continue their war against the Islamic Republic.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel said: "The UK has turned a blind eye to the fact that senior figures in the despotic Iranian regime have been parking their wealth and assets in London while brutally repressing their own people, sponsoring terrorism and attacking our allies.

"I have called on the government to follow the regime's finances, and ensure all sanctions are enforced.

"This requires action today, and anyone associated with this regime must be investigated. We must use every lever to take action against them and their crimes.