Counter-terror probe after Iranian TV journalist stabbed outside London home
Pouria Zeraati worked for the channel Iran International and has previously reported on anti-government protests in Iran, as ITV News' David Wood explains
An Iran International journalist has been stabbed outside his home in London, officials said.
Pouria Zeraati is in a stable condition after being attacked with a knife on Friday, Iran International said.
Police and paramedics were called to an address in south London at 2.49pm after a man in his 30s suffered an injury to his leg, the Metropolitan Police said.
His condition is not believed to be life-threatening, the force added.
No arrests have been made.
Iran International English posted on X, formerly Twitter, saying: “Iran International’s journalist @pouriazeraati has been attacked with a knife outside his house in London.
“He has sustained injuries but is in a stable condition. The matter is being investigated by the Metropolitan Police.
“The attack comes after the Iranian regime’s 2022 plot to kill two @IranIntl television anchors @Sima_Sabet and @FardadFarahzad.”
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police told ITV News in a statement: “An investigation has been launched following a stabbing in south London.
“Police were called at 2.49pm on Friday, 29 March to an address in south London after a man in his 30s was attacked and sustained an injury to his leg.
“London Ambulance Service paramedics attended with police and the man was treated before being taken to hospital. Thankfully his condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
"At this stage, it is not clear why the victim was attacked and officers are keeping an open mind as to any motivation behind this.
"However, due to the victim’s occupation as a journalist at a Persian-language media organisation based in the UK, coupled with the fact that there has been a number of threats directed towards this group of journalists in recent times, the incident is being investigated by specialist officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command."
Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met's Counter Terrorism Command, said: "While we are keeping an open mind, given the occupation of the victim and our publicised concerns about the threat to employees of that organisation, the investigation is being led by the Counter Terrorism Command.
“I must stress that, at this early stage of our investigation, we do not know the reason why this victim was attacked and there could be a number of explanations for this.
"While we continue to assess the circumstances of this incident, detectives are following a number of lines of enquiry and our priority at this time is to try and identify whoever was behind this attack and to arrest them.
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, called the incident a “cowardly attack” and “deeply shocking”.
She said: “Our thoughts are with him, his family and all of his colleagues at Iran International. We hope he makes a swift recovery.
“We will continue to liaise with the Metropolitan Police and the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, as part of our wider work to stamp out the harassment and targeting of journalists.”
The attack comes after the Iranian regime's 2022 plot to kill two other Iran International television anchors, Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad.
The two Iran International presenters in the "bride and groom" plan only discovered they were the subject of the assassination plot when they were contacted by ITV News in December, more than a year after it was hatched.
The UK government announced sanctions against two Iranian officials with links to Tehran's regime after the ITV News exposé was broadcast.
Among seven individuals sanctioned by the US and UK were Mohammed Ansari, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – Qods Force (IRGC-QF) official, and Muhammed Abd al-Razek Kanafani, who were named in the report for threatening to kill Iran International journalists in London.
Unit 840, a group within the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that was named in the ITV News report for co-ordinating threat to Iran International, was also sanctioned – the same organisation which targeted Ms Alinejad.
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