Iranian journalist Pouria Zeraati stabbed outdoors London house as police rush to scene | UK | News | EUROtoday

An Iranian journalist has been brutally stabbed outdoors his house in London. The Metropolitan Police rushed to the scene and are at present investigating the incident.

Broadcast journalist Pouria Zeraati, 36, sustained a number of knife accidents however is reportedly in a steady situation. Mr Zeraati works for Iran International, a tv broadcaster that has been declared a terrorist organisation by the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Iran International reported on the stabbing saying that the TV host was “attacked by several unidentified men upon leaving his home in London on Friday”. The journalist’s employer stated that the motive was “unclear” however identified that “the Iranian regime in recent past had tried to harm Iran International and its journalists for their coverage of Iran, and the platform it provides to critics and human rights activists”.

Mr Zeraati has often criticised the present regime in Iran, and sparked controversy final yr after interviewing Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu – a sworn enemy of the Islamic Republic.

Former US State Department advisor on Iran Gabriel Noronha posted on X: “It was only a matter of time before Iranian assassins and thugs actually hit one of their targets in the U.S. or UK. Wishing @pouriazeraati a speedy recovery and hoping that the UK government starts getting serious about the regime’s threats. Sanction the IRGC for starters…”

In November 2022, the regime in Tehran plotted to kill two Iran International TV anchors – Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad. This prompted the Metropolitan Police to offer safety round Iran International’s workplaces.

A later investigation revealed that the assassination plot was signed off by Mohammad Reza Ansari, the IRGC commander accountable for assassinations outdoors Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran deemed the channel a terrorist organisation in the course of the Mahsa Amini protests in November 2022 and was charged with inciting riots in opposition to the federal government. Iran additionally accused the broadcaster of being an arm of Saudi Arabia.

The Persian-language information tv channel needed to briefly depart its London HQ and transfer to Washington DC for a number of months in 2023 because of safety threats in opposition to its British-based journalists.

Anchors have beforehand spoken out that the Iranian authorities is waging an “intimidation campaign” in opposition to the TV station, freezing employees belongings, interrogating their kinfolk and “threatening to snatch them from British streets if they do not quit their jobs”.