LONDON — Two Romanian men have been sentenced to prison in the United Kingdom for the stabbing of an Iranian journalist working for a London-based Persian-language television network, in a case a judge concluded was carried out for the benefit of the Iranian state. The ruling adds to ongoing British concerns over alleged foreign-backed operations targeting individuals on UK territory.
At London’s Central Criminal Court on Friday, Nandito Badea, 21, received an eight-year prison sentence, while George Stana, 25, was jailed for 12 years after both were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The Associated Press reported that the convictions relate to the March 2024 attack on journalist Pouria Zeraati outside his home in Wimbledon.
Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said the evidence “overwhelmingly points” to the assault having been conducted on behalf of the Iranian authorities.
“I am sure that this was an attack carried out for and for the benefit of a foreign power,” the judge said during the sentencing hearing.
Court links attack to alleged foreign state operation
According to the court, Zeraati, a presenter for London-based Iran International, was stabbed in the leg outside his residence before his attackers fled the scene.
Police said Badea and another man carried out the assault while Stana drove the getaway vehicle. Investigators said the suspects left the United Kingdom through Heathrow Airport shortly after the attack.
Both men were arrested in Romania in December 2024 before being extradited to Britain to face trial. A third suspect, David Andrei, remains the subject of separate criminal proceedings in Romania.
The judge ruled that Stana should have recognized the targeted nature of the operation and its alleged connection to Iran, while noting that Badea had participated in the conspiracy for a shorter period.
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Security concerns extend beyond a single case
British security officials have repeatedly warned about what they describe as an increasing number of plots linked to Iran that rely on criminal proxies to target opposition figures, media organizations and members of the Jewish community within the United Kingdom.
Chief Superintendent Kris Wright of Counter Terrorism Policing London said investigators had argued throughout the case that the violent attack on the journalist had been carried out on behalf of the Iranian regime, adding that the court accepted that assessment of the evidence.
He also warned that individuals recruited by foreign states or unknown online contacts to conduct criminal activity should expect to face prosecution if identified.
Iran International has faced repeated threats
Iran International has previously reported receiving threats connected to its coverage of Iran’s government. Prosecutors told the court that a billboard displaying Zeraati’s image had appeared in Tehran bearing the message “Wanted: Dead or Alive.”
The broadcaster temporarily relocated its operations to Washington, D.C., in 2023 after describing what it called an escalation in state-backed threats from Iran. It later resumed broadcasting from a new location in London.
Following the attack, Zeraati recovered and returned to work. In a victim impact statement presented to the court, he said the stabbing left him feeling “scared and anxious” and forced him to relocate abroad because he feared further reprisals.
Tehran rejects allegations as UK monitors broader threat
Iran’s senior diplomat in the United Kingdom has denied that Tehran was responsible for the attack.
The case comes amid wider concerns raised by British intelligence agencies over alleged Iran-linked activities in the country. In October, MI5 Director General Ken McCallum said the domestic intelligence service had disrupted more than 20 potentially lethal Iran-backed plots during the previous 12 months.
British authorities have also linked recent investigations into suspected antisemitic attacks, including stabbings and attempted firebombings targeting synagogues, to an Iranian proxy group that has claimed responsibility.
While the court has now concluded proceedings against two of the convicted men, legal action involving the remaining suspect continues in Romania.
Tags: United Kingdom, Iran, London, Iran International, Pouria Zeraati, Counter Terrorism Policing, Foreign Interference, National Security, Press Freedom, Criminal Investigation, MI5, Romania, International Relations, State-Backed Threats
