A London-based Iranian TV news presenter was subjected to a stabbing incident outside his residence, according to statements from his employer, Iran International.
The channel, known for its comprehensive coverage of the anti-government protests in Iran in 2022, reported that the 36-year-old presenter, Pouria Zeraati, was assaulted by a group. The Metropolitan Police have engaged their specialist counter-terrorism officers to lead the inquiry into this grave incident, highlighting the seriousness with which it is being treated.
Zeraati is currently in a stable condition in the hospital, per police reports. Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command, emphasized that the investigation remains open to all possible motives behind the attack. The assignment of counter-terrorism officers to the case is notably due to Zeraati’s role within a Persian-language media organization in the UK, which has previously been the target of threats.
The police force has heightened security measures in the vicinity of the incident and other key locations in London as a preventive strategy. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been reported to date.
Iran International has played a pivotal role in reporting on the wave of anti-government protests in Iran, positioning itself as a critical source of news during that period. The channel’s journalists, including two British-Iranian members, have faced significant risks, underscored by police warnings of potential life threats and increased security measures around their studios.
The Iranian government has officially labeled Iran International a terrorist organization, accusing it of fostering unrest. In response to escalating threats from Iran, the channel temporarily relocated its broadcasting operations to Washington DC in early 2023, later resuming in London under enhanced security protocols.
A noteworthy development occurred in December of the previous year when an Austrian national was sentenced for gathering information potentially beneficial to a terrorist operation, focusing on Iran International’s security arrangements. This sentencing aligns with the Metropolitan Police’s disclosure that, since early 2022, efforts to kidnap or assassinate individuals viewed as adversaries of the Iranian regime in the UK have been successfully thwarted.
This recent stabbing incident has provoked a strong response from political figures, including Tory MP Alicia Kearns, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. She expressed her distress over the attack and highlighted the ongoing threat posed by Iran to dissenting voices. Furthermore, sanctions have been imposed on several commanders of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) following an investigation into assassination plots on UK soil, aimed at journalists from Iran International. These sanctions aim to curb the activities of Iranian officials and entities threatening democratic freedoms in the UK.
