Two Romanian men have been convicted of stabbing Pouria Zeraati, a journalist for Iran International, near his London home. Prosecutors alleged the men acted as proxies for the Iranian government in a planned attack.
Two Romanian men, identified as Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, have been found guilty of stabbing Pouria Zeraati, a journalist for Iran International, in London. Prosecutors stated that the men were acting as proxies for the Iranian government. The attack took place in March 2024 near Zeraati's home in southwest London, where he was stabbed three times in the leg. Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson informed the jury that three men targeted Zeraati, whose employer is critical of Iran's government and has been designated a terrorist organization by Tehran. Atkinson claimed the attack was planned, preceded by reconnaissance, and ordered by a third party acting on behalf of the Iranian state. Iran has denied any involvement. The third man accused, David Andrei, was arrested in Romania but was not part of this trial. The prosecution highlighted that posters featuring journalists, including Zeraati, were displayed in Tehran in 2022 with the heading "Wanted: dead or alive." Iran International has reportedly been targeted for surveillance multiple times in recent years. Chief Superintendent Kris Wright of London's Metropolitan Police noted an increase in the use of 'proxies' by foreign states to commit serious criminal acts in the UK. A spokesperson for Iran International's parent company welcomed the verdicts, stating their journalists are subjected to an ongoing campaign of intimidation by Iran.
This conviction highlights the increasing use of proxies by foreign states to carry out attacks on individuals within the UK, underscoring geopolitical tensions and the risks faced by journalists critical of authoritarian regimes.