Court Says Attack Was Linked to Foreign Power
Two Romanian men have been jailed in the United Kingdom for a knife attack on Iranian TV presenter Pouria Zeraati outside his London home.
Zeraati is a presenter for Iran International, a Persian-language broadcaster based in London.
George Stana, 25, was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Nandito Badea, 21, was sentenced to eight years.
Both men were found guilty last month of wounding with intent over the 2024 stabbing.
They had denied the charge, but a jury convicted them after trial.
The sentencing took place at London’s Old Bailey court on Friday.
Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said the evidence strongly indicated that the attack was carried out for the benefit of the Iranian government.
She said Zeraati was a known critic of the Iranian regime and had previously received threats.
Presenter Was Stabbed Outside His Home
Zeraati was attacked outside his home in Wimbledon, southwest London.
He was stabbed several times in the leg and needed emergency medical treatment.
Despite the attack, he returned to work the following month and said his show had to continue.
In a victim impact statement, Zeraati told police that the attack left him scared and anxious.
He later relocated abroad due to fear of further threats.
Prosecutors said Badea and another man had monitored Zeraati’s property several times before the attack.
They said the men had travelled to the UK specifically to carry out the assault.
UK Minister Warns Against Foreign-State Crimes
British security minister Angela Eagle condemned the attack.
She said the assault was carried out on behalf of Iran and added that both men fled the country after the crime.
She said the sentences send a clear message to anyone acting for a foreign state to commit crimes in Britain.
She added that the UK takes threats from Iran extremely seriously.
The two convicted men were arrested in Romania in December 2024 and later extradited to Britain.
A third man accused of involvement remains in Romania because he is facing separate charges there, according to police.
Iran International operates from a heavily secured building in west London.
Tehran labelled the broadcaster a terrorist organisation in 2022, along with the BBC’s Persian-language service.
The case has increased concerns about foreign-state threats against journalists, dissidents, and media workers living in the UK.
