US Sanctions Dubai Financier Tied to Mojtaba Khamenei's Assets

OFAC sanctioned Ali Ansari, a Dubai-based Iranian banker previously sanctioned by the UK for financially supporting the IRGC, along with his Saint Kitts and Nevis-based holding company Smart Global Limited. Treasury said Ansari used shell companies and bank accounts across multiple jurisdictions to accumulate millions of dollars in real estate and commercial property holdings across Europe and the Gulf that are ultimately held for the financial benefit of Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, his family, and other regime elites. OFAC simultaneously issued Iran General License Y, authorizing the wind-down of transactions involving Smart Global Limited. The action came amid a broader US sanctions surge following the collapse of the ceasefire and Iran's attacks on shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.