Iran Denies Involvement In Attack on Iran International Journalist

Pouria Zeraati, the television host of the "Last Word" program on Iran International
Pouria Zeraati, the television host of the "Last Word" program on Iran International

In the wake of an attack on Pouria Zeraati, a TV anchor at Iran International, the Iranian embassy in London has denied any involvement in the incident.

Zeraati, a prominent journalist, was stabbed outside his residence in Wimbledon, south London, but is reportedly in stable condition following the assault.

The London-based broadcaster, Iran International, known for its independent coverage of Iran, has been a target of Tehran's hostility. The attack on Zeraati has raised concerns after past threats by the Iranian regime against the channel.

Adam Baillie, a spokesman for Iran International, described the attack as "hugely frightening" but assured that Zeraati is recuperating well in the hospital. Baillie emphasized that Zeraati's profession as a journalist has made him and his colleagues vulnerable to threats and aggression from Iranian authorities.

While the motivation behind the attack remains unclear, counter-terrorism police are leading the investigation, given Zeraati's recent threats directed at UK-based Iranian journalists.

Baillie highlighted that Iran International, along with BBC Persian, has faced escalating threats from the IRGC and elements associated with the Tehran regime.

Asked what he believed lay behind the attack, Baillie told BBC Radio 4: “We can’t say. The fact that counter-terrorism is leading the investigation probably speaks for itself.

“Along with our colleagues at BBC Persian, Iran International has been under threat, very heavy threats, for the last 18 months since the IRGC said ‘we’re coming for you’, which they have consistently repeated.”

The incident comes in the wake of previous attempts to intimidate and silence journalists associated with Iran International. In January, the Foreign Office imposed sanctions on members of the IRGC's Unit 840 following revelations of plots to assassinate two of the channel's presenters in the UK.