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London stabbing of journalist was by men working for Iran, court told

London stabbing of journalist was by men working for Iran, court told

Summary

A journalist working for a Persian opposition TV station was stabbed in Wimbledon, London, by men who were acting on behalf of the Iranian government, a court was told. Two Romanian men are on trial for the knife attack, which is described by prosecutors as a planned act of Iranian intimidation and terror.

Key Facts

  • The victim is Pouria Zeraati, a journalist for the London-based Iran International channel.
  • Posters calling for Zeraati to be "Wanted: dead or alive" appeared in Tehran in November 2022.
  • Two Romanian men, George Stana (25) and Nandito Badea (21), are accused of attacking Zeraati in March 2024.
  • Badea allegedly used the knife, while Stana drove the car used to escape after the attack.
  • A third man, David Andrei, accused of holding Zeraati during the attack, remains in Romania and is not on trial.
  • Prosecutors say the attack was planned and directed by Iranian state agents using criminal proxies.
  • Surveillance and mobile phone data show reconnaissance of Zeraati’s movements months before the attack.
  • Large sums of money were transferred through accounts linked to the attackers, funded by a British-Iranian dual national named Edgar Hakkopian.
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