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Sasha Sobhani lives quite the life (Image: sasha_sohbani/Instagram)
The children of Iran's most powerful figures, known for flaunting their extravagant lifestyles and vast fortunes on Instagram, even post pictures with footballers such as Sergio Ramos and Kylian Mbappe.
Such displays of opulence have previously drawn criticism, but they've come under renewed scrutiny following protests that erupted on December 28 after spiralling living costs left ordinary citizens struggling. Demonstrators directed their anger towards Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, demanding an end to his rule.
The Iranian authorities labelled the demonstrations as "riots", with fears that as many as 16,000 people have been brutally killed in the crackdown.
The ruthless regime also shut down the internet on January 8, leaving Iranians residing in Britain deeply concerned for their relatives back home.
While ordinary Iranians courageously dealt with the consequences of their currency's dramatic collapse, certain offspring of the country's ruling class have long shown that they have unlimited resources at their disposal.
Sasha Sobhani has many photos like this on Instagram (Image: sasha_sohbani/Instagram)
These individuals are referred to as the aghazadeh – the sons and daughters of powerful and influential figures within Iran's ruling establishment who enjoy substantial advantages thanks to their parents' positions.
While protesters have faced being burnt alive, beaten and shot, the aghazadeh have carried on living lives of extraordinary privilege, whether in Iran or overseas. Below are some examples.
Sasha Sobhani
Sasha Sobhani, the son of a retired senior diplomat and former Iranian ambassador to Venezuela, has often provoked critics with his ostentatious displays of wealth. Despite the regime in his home country, he frequently flaunts private jets, yachts, supercars, and poses alongside scantily-clad women.
Kylian Mbappe and Sasha Sohbani (Image: sasha_sohbani/Instagram)
In 2021, Sobhani found himself in a Madrid courtroom after Iran requested his extradition on charges of money laundering and operating illegal gambling sites. He vehemently denied these allegations, expressing fears of torture if he were to be returned to Iran.
Since then, he has been living a life of luxury in Spain, even sharing photos with his Real Madrid idols, including Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, last year.
In 2024, he posted a video with ex-Madrid defender Ramos, captioning it: "Thank you for your hospitality captain was a pleasure to meet you, LEGEND."
As protests unfolded, a page associated with Sobhani featured a cryptic post: "The Iranian people will no longer be fooled by your divisions, cyber people."
Protests in Tehran earlier this month (Image: AP)
One response read: "You took a lot of Iran's capital without any effort."
Another commented: "You are having fun with the money of the nation. Do not be afraid. Everything will be alright. Wait for the right time."
On a separate post, one individual suggested: "I would find some sort of way to give some of the money back. I definitely wouldn't be on Instagram flaunting it until my hairs have turned white."
Critics said her handbag was worth more than the average Iranian earns annually (Image: anashidhosein/Instagram)
Anashid Hoseini
Anashid Hoseini, a model and fashion designer married to the son of Iran's former ambassador to Denmark, boasts 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Her last post, shared just days before the protests began, featured her posing in a cashmere coat with a designer handbag, captioned: "My calm."
However, her silence since the internet blackout has drawn criticism from her followers. One asked: "What are you doing in this painless situation?" while another queried: "Why are you silent in this situation? Before I unfollow you, I want to hear your answer."
Hoseini, who is married to Amir Mohsen Moradian, has previously denied being part of the aghazadeh, stating: "This is all heated and empty talk. I don't think we're aghazadeh."
Anashid Hoseini has 1.7million followers (Image: anashidhosein/Instagram)
Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani
Mohammad Hossein Shamkhani and his brother Hassan, based in Dubai where they run a shipping empire, are also known as the sons of Ali Shamkhani, the Islamic Republic's security chief and senior adviser to the supreme leader.
Ella Rosenberg, a researcher at the Jerusalem Centre for Foreign Affairs, described the brothers as the "equivalent of the Iranian Gossip Girl", flaunting their luxury cars and opulent high-rise living in north Tehran.
She continued: "Their lifestyle has enraged, not only made angry, but enraged the citizens of Iran, specifically Gen Z in their age group, mainly because they see how these rich kids live – with no accountability for anything that they do.
"Their families and parents and grandparents are making sure that their lives in Iran are easy, living the life of luxury."
A social media account called The Rich Kids of Tehran showcases aspects "they don't want you to see about Iran".
Beyond flaunting the lavish existences of the nation's privileged offspring, the platform has also been highlighting the devastation wrought since demonstrations commenced.
A former Iranian government official estimates that approximately 5,000 aghazadeh reside in America, despite the country being branded the "Great Satan" by their homeland.
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The exodus of elite families' children sparked ridicule in 2018 through the hashtag #Where_is_your_kid.
Even the descendants of Ayatollah Khomeini, the renowned architect of the Islamic revolution, have settled in Canada, while Khamenei himself counts family members amongst those living in Britain and France.
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