Pouria Zeraati, the host of the “Last Word” program on Iran International TV network, sustained multiple knife wounds on various parts of his body. He was promptly taken to the hospital, where his condition is reported to be stable.
London’s Metropolitan Police have initiated an investigation into the incident.
A spokesperson from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command mentioned that they are leading the investigation, and it has been reported that MI5 has been informed about the incident.
“While we are keeping an open mind regarding the motives behind the attack, given the victim’s occupation and our publicly expressed concerns about the threat faced by employees of that organization, the investigation is being led by the Counter Terrorism Command,” stated unit chief Dominic Murphy in a statement reviewed by Arab News.
“I want to emphasize that, at this early stage of our investigation, we are not aware of the reason behind the attack, and there could be several explanations for it.
“As we continue to examine the circumstances surrounding this incident, detectives are pursuing multiple lines of inquiry, and our primary objective currently is to identify and apprehend the perpetrator(s) responsible for this attack.
“I acknowledge the broader apprehension that this incident may cause, especially among individuals in similar professions and the Iranian communities.
“We are maintaining close collaboration with the victim’s organization, and as a precautionary measure, we will increase patrols in the Wimbledon area and other locations across London to provide assurance to those affected and concerned individuals over the next few days.
“Lastly, I urge anyone in the Wimbledon vicinity who may have witnessed anything suspicious or unusual today to contact us,” added Murphy.
It was previously revealed that the Tehran regime had plotted to assassinate two Iran International TV anchors, Sima Sabet and Fardad Farahzad, in November 2022, which led to the Metropolitan Police providing continuous protection at the channel’s former offices in west London.
The channel reported on Zeraati’s attack, stating: “The Iranian regime has made attempts in the recent past to harm Iran International and its journalists due to their coverage of Iran, as well as the platform they provide to critics and human rights activists.”
Gabriel Noronha, a former adviser to the US State Department on Iran, posted on X that it was “inevitable” for Iranian assassins to eventually reach one of the regime’s targets in the US or UK.
He wished Zeraati a speedy recovery and expressed hope that “the UK government takes the regime’s threats seriously,” urging them to impose sanctions on the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps