A London-based Iranian TV news channel has disclosed that one of its presenters was subjected to multiple stab wounds outside his residence in the city.

Iran International, known for its extensive coverage of anti-government protests in Iran in 2022, reported that Pouria Zeraati, aged 36, was assaulted by a group of individuals.

The Metropolitan Police revealed that specialized counter-terrorism officers have taken charge of the investigation into the stabbing. They also stated that the victim, who remains unidentified, is currently in stable condition in the hospital.

Commander Dominic Murphy, who heads the Metropolitan Police's counter-terrorism command unit, emphasized that investigators are exploring all potential motives behind the attack.

The Metropolitan Police explained that counter-terrorism officers were assigned to the case due to the victim's profession as a journalist at a Persian-language media outlet based in the UK. They cited a series of threats directed towards journalists affiliated with the channel as additional cause for concern.

Mr. Murphy noted that as a precautionary measure, extra patrols have been deployed to the vicinity of the assault in south London, as well as to other locations across the city.

No arrests have been made.

Nearly 18 months ago, Iran International became one of the main providers of news during the wave of anti-government protests in Iran.


In November 2022 two British-Iranian journalists from the channel were warned by police of a possible risk to their lives.

An armed police presence was stationed near the channel's studios, and concrete barriers were placed outside the building.

At the same time in Tehran, Iran's minister of intelligence Ismail Khatib announced Iran International had been declared a terrorist organisation by his regime.

Iran International were accused by the government of inciting riots protesting the regime.

Then, in February 2023, Iran International TV temporarily shut down operations in London and moved its broadcasting studios to Washington DC.

The Persian-language TV channel said the decision was due to a "significant escalation in state-backed threats from Iran".

Operations resumed at a new location in London last September.

In December last year, Austrian national Magomed-Husejn Dovtaev, 31, was jailed for "attempting to collect or make a record containing information useful to a terrorist".

The Met Police said he made a video in February 2023 showing the outside and security arrangements of a Chiswick Business Park building where Iran International was based.

According to the Met Police, since the start of 2022, 15 plots had been foiled to either kidnap or kill UK-based individuals perceived as enemies of the Iranian regime.

Reacting to Friday's latest incident, Tory MP Alicia Kearns, the chairwoman of the powerful Foreign Affairs Select Committee, described the stabbing as "deeply upsetting".

"Whilst we don't know the circumstances of this attack, Iran continues to hunt down those brave enough to speak out against the regime," she said on Twitter/X.

"Yet I remain unconvinced that we and our allies have clear strategies to protect people in our countries from them, and protect our interests abroad."

Earlier this year, Lord Cameron announced sanctions on a number of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders after they were "exposed in an ITV investigation into plots to assassinate two television presenters from news channel Iran International on UK soil".

He said the package, including the freezing of assets and UK travel bans, exposed "the roles of the Iranian officials and gangs involved in activity aimed to undermine, silence and disrupt the democratic freedoms we value in the UK".

Too bad.