British counterterrorism police are investigating the stabbing of an Iranian television presenter, Pouria Zeraati, outside his home in London. Zeraati is a presenter at London-based Iran International and was stabbed in the leg on Friday afternoon. His condition is stable and not believed to be life-threatening. The Metropolitan Police Service in London stated that Zeraati’s occupation, along with recent threats to U.K.-based Iranian journalists, triggered the counterterrorism probe to identify and arrest those responsible for the attack.
The motivation for the attack on Zeraati is still unclear, but London’s Metropolitan Police Service is actively investigating the incident. Adam Baillie, a spokesperson for Iran International, described the stabbing as “hugely frightening.” While the channel’s journalists have faced threats in the past, this is the first physical attack of its kind. Mehdi Hosseini Matin, Iran’s charge d’affaires in the UK, has denied any link to the incident. Police have disrupted several plots to kill or kidnap individuals seen as enemies of the Iranian government in the U.K., and are working with intelligence agencies to provide protection to those targeted.
Iran International temporarily moved its operations to Washington, D.C. last year due to state-backed threats from Iran, before resuming operations in London last September. A man was convicted in December for attempting to collect information for terrorism after surveillance on the former headquarters of Iran International. Alicia Kearns, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of Commons, expressed concern over inadequate protection for opponents of the Iranian government in the UK. Foreign Secretary David Cameron condemned the conviction of journalists from the BBC’s Persian service on propaganda charges by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The attack on Zeraati has raised concerns about the safety of journalists and individuals critical of the Iranian government in the UK. Police and intelligence agencies are working to identify and apprehend those responsible for the attack, while also providing protection to potential targets. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Iran and its critics based abroad, with allegations of state-backed threats and surveillance on individuals and media organizations. The UK government is being urged to take stronger measures to protect individuals speaking out against the Iranian regime and prevent further attacks on opponents and journalists. Foreign Secretary David Cameron has condemned recent convictions of journalists by the Iranian government and raised concerns about threats posed by agents of foreign governments against individuals in the UK.
