Two Romanians found guilty of stabbing TV presenter in London ‘on order of Iran’

Two Romanian nationals have been convicted by a UK court for the stabbing of Iranian TV presenter Pouria Zeraati outside his home in Wimbledon, south London, in an attack prosecutors described as a “deliberate, targeted act of violence” involving months of planning and surveillance.The victim, a journalist with the Farsi-language broadcaster Iran International, was stabbed three times in the leg in March 2024 as he walked near his residence. He survived the attack and later returned to work, Sky News reported.Surveillance, surveillance and a getaway planProsecutors told Woolwich Crown Court that the attackers carried out extensive reconnaissance on Zeraati’s residential block before striking.The jury heard that Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, were part of a coordinated team. Badea approached the journalist under a pretence before stabbing him, while Stana waited nearby in a getaway car.After the attack, the group fled the scene, dumped clothing, and used a ride-hailing app to reach Heathrow Airport before leaving the UK.“Proxy agents” claim linked to TehranThe prosecution alleged the assault was not random but part of a wider campaign of intimidation against dissident Iranian media personnel abroad, with links to actors operating on behalf of the Iranian state.The court heard arguments that the attackers were effectively “proxies” used in a broader strategy of harassment targeting journalists critical of Tehran. Iranian authorities have denied any involvement.Trial details and disputed rolesBadea and Stana denied the charges but were found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. A third suspect, David Andrei, was also named in the case but is facing separate proceedings in Romania.Prosecutors said the trio worked as a coordinated unit, though the defendants attempted to shift blame onto one another during police questioning.The court was also told the group’s movements and funding involved multiple intermediaries, including business-linked accounts and individuals previously connected to criminal activity in the UK.Broader fears over targeting of dissidentsThe case has added to growing concerns among Iranian journalists in the UK, many of whom report ongoing threats linked to their coverage of opposition politics.Security agencies have previously warned of multiple suspected Iran-linked plots targeting dissidents and minority communities in Britain, raising fears that intimidation campaigns are expanding beyond national borders.Sentencing next monthThe convicted men are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 3 July. Prosecutors have indicated that the judge may further consider whether the attack was carried out on behalf of a foreign state.