Ali Ansari (born in 1962) is an Iranian businessman and banker, known for his role in establishing and leading Bank Ayandeh and for his involvement in the development of Iran Mall, a large commercial complex in Tehran. [1] [2]
Ansari was a principal shareholder of Bank Ayandeh, a private Iranian bank formed in 2013 through the merger of Tat Bank with other financial institutions. [1] Under his management, the bank attracted deposits by offering relatively high interest rates. By 2025, the bank accumulated heavy losses and high levels of bad loans. [3] [2] [4] [5]
The former governor of Iran's central bank Mohammad-Reza Farzin said that the bank has $5.1 billion in accumulated losses, $2.9 billion in overdrafts, and a negative 600 percent capital adequacy ratio. [3]
In October 2025, the Central Bank of Iran revoked Bank Ayandeh's operating licence and dissolved the bank due to accumulated losses and regulatory concerns. Its assets and deposits were absorbed into the state-owned Bank Melli, with assurances that depositors' accounts would be maintained. [3]
Ansari was involved in the development of Iran Mall, one of the largest shopping and entertainment complexes in Tehran. Projects financed by Bank Ayandeh included substantial lending to entities linked with Ansari and the Iran Mall development. By the time of the bank's dissolution, a significant share of its loans was classified as bad loans. [3]
In early 2026, the UK government imposed sanctions on Ansari, describing him as a "corrupt Iranian banker and businessman" in connection with alleged financing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, days after Ayandeh Bank's collapse. [3] [6] [7]
Ali Ansari himself accumulated €400mn European luxury properties like Hilton Frankfurt, Tidalwave Holdings (Luxembourg and Netherlands) and other properties in Nevis Austria, Germany and Spain. [3] [6] [7]