A journalist working for an independent Iranian media outlet in London, who was stabbed outside his home last week, has returned to work with a determined spirit, stating that "the show must go on." Pouria Zeraati, a presenter at Iran International, required medical treatment for leg injuries sustained during the attack on March 29.
Reflecting on the incident, the 36-year-old described the stabbing as a "warning shot," noting that the assailants deliberately chose not to inflict fatal harm. "The fact that they just stopped in my leg was their choice," he mentioned during an interview with ITV News. "They had the opportunity to kill me because the way the second person was holding me and the first person took the knife out, they had the opportunity to stop anywhere they wanted," he elaborated.
Zeraati returned to work on Friday, emphasizing that regardless of the motives behind the attack, the work must continue. London’s Metropolitan Police are investigating the incident, noting that the suspects quickly fled to Heathrow Airport and left the UK shortly after the assault.
There is speculation that Zeraati's occupation as a journalist at a Persian-language media organization based in the UK might have been a factor in the attack. However, Iran’s charge d’affaires in the UK, Mehdi Hosseini Matin, denied any connection to Tehran.
It's worth mentioning that the Met has previously foiled alleged plots in the UK involving kidnapping or harming British individuals perceived as opponents by Tehran. Additionally, Iran has labeled Iran International as a terrorist organization.
Last year, the UK government introduced stricter sanctions against Iran due to reported human rights violations and hostile activities against perceived adversaries on British soil.