An exiled Iranian journalist, who works as a television anchor at the UK-based channel Iran International, was stabbed outside his home in London on Friday. The incident took place in south-western Wimbledon, where the journalist was reportedly attacked by a group of men who then fled in a car.
The London Metropolitan Police confirmed that the journalist, Pouria Zeraati, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is currently in stable condition. In response to the attack, the police have initiated a counterterrorism investigation.
While the motive behind the crime remains unclear, the police highlighted the victim's occupation and recent threats directed towards journalists as factors prompting the counterterrorism command to look into the case. Commander Dominic Murphy stated that detectives are pursuing various leads to determine the circumstances surrounding the attack.
Although Tehran has not been directly implicated in the incident, concerns have been raised about potential involvement due to Iran's designation of the television station as a 'terrorist entity.' Iranian state media has accused the channel of inciting unrest.
This stabbing follows a previous revelation by Britain's ITV, which exposed Iranian spies attempting to pay a people smuggler to assassinate two Iran International journalists. In response, the British government sanctioned seven members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps earlier this year.
Various officials, including the chair of Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee and the general secretary of the British National Union of Journalists, have called for increased protection for journalists and accountability for Iran's actions. While Iran's charge d'affaires in the UK denied any involvement in the attack, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely.
