Two Romanian men charged in the stabbing of an Iranian journalist in London

By The Associated Press on December 5, 2024.

LONDON (AP) – Two Romanian men have been arrested in their home country and charged in connection with the stabbing of an Iranian journalist outside his London home this spring, prosecutors said Thursday.

Nandito Badea, 19, and George Stana, 23, face extradition to the U.K. following their arrests Wednesday on a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Pouria Zeraati, a presenter at London-based Iran International, was stabbed in the leg on March 29 outside his home in the Wimbledon section of the city. He recovered from the attack and returned to work, saying “the show must go on.”

Police said two men attacked Zeraati and fled with a getaway driver. Metropolitan Police said the suspects then flew out of the country from Heathrow Airport.

The attack was investigated by counterterrorism police because of Zeraati’s occupation and recent threats to U.K.-based Iranian journalists. Iran International, a satellite news channel that broadcasts in Farsi, has previously received threats due to coverage that has long been critical of Iran’s theocratic government.

Iran’s senior diplomat to the U.K. denied Iran’s connection to the attack.

Met Police recently said they had thwarted 20 Iranian plots, including plans to kill or kidnap people in the U.K. seen as enemies of the Iranian government.

Last year, Iran International temporarily shut down its operations in London and moved to studios in Washington, D.C., after what it described as an escalation of “state-backed threats from Iran.” The station resumed operations at a new location in London last September.

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