Iranian journalist stabbed in London by Romanian national with links to Tehran, British court hears

A British court heard explosive accusations on Monday that the Iranian government used Romanian nationals as “proxies” to carry out a knife attack on a London-based Iranian journalist with links to opposition broadcaster Iran International.Pouria Zeraati, a British-Iranian journalist who worked for a Persian-language channel critical of Tehran, was stabbed three times near her home in Wimbledon, southwest London, in March 2024, Reuters reported.Prosecutors described the attack as a “deliberate, planned act of violence” that was allegedly orchestrated on behalf of Iran.

Romanian duo on trial

Romanian nationals Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, are on trial at Woolwich Crown Court. Both men deny charges of intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unlawful wounding.A third suspect, David Andrei, accused of restraining Zelati during the attack, was arrested in Romania but is not part of the current trial.According to prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC, Badia allegedly stabbed Zelati while Andre held him in place. Stanna is accused of driving the getaway vehicle.

Prosecutors charge Iran-linked conspiracy

Atkinson, laying out the prosecution’s case, told jurors the attack was “not a random attack or robbery” but a targeted operation linked to Iran’s intimidation campaign against dissidents and journalists abroad.“This was a deliberate, planned act of violence designed to cause serious harm,” he said.The court heard prosecutors believed the attack was “ordered by a third party on behalf of the Iranian state” and that the defendants were allegedly motivated by money.Iran denied involvement in the stabbing.

Iran international takes center stage in Tehran

Zelati works for Iran International, a London-based Persian-language broadcaster that is backed by Saudi interests and is a strong critic of the Iranian regime. Tehran has previously called the network a “terrorist organization” and accused it of acting as a platform for espionage.Jurors were told that in November 2022, posters with photos of journalists, including Zelati, appeared in Tehran with the chilling message: “Wanted: Dead or Alive.”Prosecutors argued that Zelati had become a “clear and easily identifiable target of violence.”The court also heard allegations the operation involved months of surveillance.Prosecutors said Starner was stopped by police near Zelati’s Wimbledon home in March 2023 while allegedly conducting reconnaissance. Police reportedly found him wearing gloves and a surgical mask and holding scissors, while another unidentified man had a sports bat hidden in his bag.WhatsApp messages seen by the jury purportedly discussed punctures in Zarati’s car tires.Further reconnaissance was allegedly carried out in the weeks leading up to the March 2024 attack and phone data showed the suspect had been in the area on a number of occasions.

Escape routes and money trails

After the stabbing, the attacker allegedly fled in a Mazda driven by Starner before abandoning the vehicle and taking a taxi to Heathrow Airport. The trio then boarded a flight to Geneva, prosecutors said.The court heard investigators found more than £80,000 was transferred through accounts linked to Stana’s sister, with funds allegedly channeled through a London construction company. Prosecutors claim detectives linked the money trace to a dual British-Iranian national.

A broader pattern of ‘Iranian terror’

Atkinson told jurors that Iran has increasingly relied on criminal gangs and hired agents abroad, rather than deploying its own agents directly.“In recent years, the Islamic Republic has increasingly used proxies such as criminal gangs to carry out intimidation and violence,” he said, describing the attack as part of a broader “Iranian terror” campaign targeting dissidents and critics abroad.The trial is expected to last several weeks.