• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits

1

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing

2

A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect

3

If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
Middle EastIran

Like Trump, Iran’s new supreme leader is a real estate mogul, with a house on ‘Billionaires’ Row,’ a villa in Dubai, and upscale European hotels

Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
Jason Ma
By
Jason Ma
Jason Ma
Weekend Editor
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 9, 2026, 1:58 PM ET
Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Dec. 14, 2016.
Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran, Dec. 14, 2016.Reza B—Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images

Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named Iran’s new supreme leader over the weekend, shares something in common with President Donald Trump: They have both amassed global real estate empires.

Recommended Video

The son of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an airstrike when the war began, represents the Islamic Republic’s first hereditary succession.

The younger Khamenei is close to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and the regime’s decision to elevate him to the top spot is seen as evidence hard-liners are in charge with little inclination to reach a deal that ends the war.

But before the conflict, he largely kept a low profile while accumulating assets around the world. A Bloomberg investigation in January found Khamenei has avoided putting investments in his own name, but they totaled more than $138 million.

That includes Swiss bank accounts as well as luxury properties. Among his holdings in several of London’s ritziest neighborhoods is a house on “Billionaires’ Row.” Sources told Bloomberg Khamenei’s real estate empire also boasts a villa in the “Beverly Hills of Dubai” and upscale European hotels.

At the time, Khamenei didn’t respond to Bloomberg’s requests for comment that were sent via Iran’s foreign ministry and embassies in the UAE and U.K. An intermediary who reportedly handled Khamenei’s deals denied any personal or financial ties to him.

Fortune’s request for comment to the foreign ministry couldn’t be delivered by email owing to the country’s internet lockdown. Iran’s representative to the United Nations didn’t immediately respond to an inquiry.

Meanwhile, Trump is worth $7.3 billion, according to Forbes last year. His golf clubs and resorts alone totaled $1.3 billion, while his other real estate investments, such as office towers, hotels, and residential developments, were worth $1.2 billion.

His liquid and crypto assets were valued at $2.4 billion last year, while Trump Media and Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, was worth $2 billion. The market selloff since he launched his war on Iran has dented those holdings.

Khamenei’s overseas assets pale in comparison to Trump’s net worth, but now that he has taken over in Iran, he assumes a dominant role over the country’s economy.

The supreme leader heads the Execution of Imam Khomeini’s Order, a state-owned conglomerate that was created after the seizure of thousands of properties in the wake of the Islamic Revolution. According to Bloomberg, it manages billions of dollars worth of assets, commercial holdings and charities, operating in a wide array of sectors.

Similarly, Khamenei also controls the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which began as a paramilitary force to ensure the regime’s political power but eventually developed a diversified business empire of its own. That includes core industrial sectors like oil and transportation as well as banking, telecommunications, agriculture, medicine, and real estate.

The IRGC uses affiliates to engage in business activities. For example, the Khatam al-Anbiya engineering firm has built refineries, a railway line, a dam, and a natural gas pipeline. It also controls Tehran’s international airport.

Another pillar of the IRGC’s business empire is its network of “foundations” that essentially form semiprivate monopolies, though they began as organizations to advance religious and revolutionary goals.

“However, over time, wealth accumulation in the service of a wider range of ruling elite objectives, such as self-enrichment, political control, regime survival, and social engineering, became an end in itself,” the Clingendael think tank said in an October report. “What began as vehicles for social justice evolved into corporate-style conglomerates that were shielded from oversight and yet central to the power base of the revolutionary state.”

Subscribe to Fortune Gulf Brief. Every Tuesday, this new newsletter will deliver clear-eyed, authoritative intelligence on the deals, decisions, policies, and power shifts shaping one of the world’s most consequential regions, written for the people who need to act on it. Sign up here.
About the Author
Jason Ma
By Jason MaWeekend Editor

Jason Ma is the weekend editor at Fortune, where he covers markets, the economy, finance, and housing.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Middle East

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Middle East

Property prices are down in Dubai. Is it a war-induced blip, or something more serious?  
Middle EastDubai
Property prices are down in Dubai. Is it a war-induced blip, or something more serious?  
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
3 hours ago
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
EnergyIran
The Iran conflict has disrupted oil supply. Gulf states are now looking to multi-billion-dollar investments in renewables 
By Melissa HancockJune 1, 2026
5 hours ago
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of May 19, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 19, 2026
13 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 12, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of May 12, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 12, 2026
20 days ago
Current price of oil as of May 5, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of May 5, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerMay 5, 2026
27 days ago
Current price of oil as of April 28, 2026
Personal FinanceOil
Current price of oil as of April 28, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerApril 28, 2026
1 month ago

Most Popular

I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
Personal Finance
I wrote that Boomers were choking America’s economy. Their responses to me were revealing
By Nick LichtenbergMay 31, 2026
1 day ago
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
Environment
A rare 'super' El Niño is looking more likely. Here’s what to expect
By Brian K. Sullivan and BloombergMay 31, 2026
22 hours ago
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
Investing
If Elon Musk merges SpaceX with Tesla he'll create a $3.4 trillion behemoth—with zero profits
By Shawn TullyMay 31, 2026
2 days ago
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
Future of Work
When loyalty is rewarded: Top earners who stay in their jobs get much larger pay increases than those who switch
By Jacqueline MunisMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
Future of Work
Ex–Google CEO Eric Schmidt warns U.S. tech workers: Competing with China’s grueling 12-hour workdays means sacrificing work-life balance
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezMay 30, 2026
2 days ago
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of June 1, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJune 1, 2026
7 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.