Two Romanian men have been jailed after stabbing an Iranian journalist three times near his home in London.
Romanian nationals Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25, have been jailed for eight and 12 years respectively.
Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed three times on March 29, 2024, and was left bleeding on the streets outside his home in Wimbledon, south west London.
The Romanian nationals denied their charges but were convicted of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb said at the Old Bailey today the “evidence overwhelmingly points” to the attack being carried out on behalf of the Iranian regime.
She said: “I am sure that this was an attack carried out for and for the benefit of a foreign power.”
“Pouria Zeraati was a well known critic of the regime and he had previously been subjected to threats, as had members of his family,” the judge added.
Mr Zeraati sustained stab wounds to his thigh in what prosecutors said was “a planned attack preceded by reconnaissance and which was ordered by a third party acting on behalf of the Iranian state”.
Left to right: Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25 were jailed today
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Badea and another man, David Andrei, who remains at large in Romania and was not on trial, “crowded” the journalist, with one of them stabbing him three times in the thigh, the court heard.
Stana waited in a blue Mazda 3 getaway car, which was flagged on CCTV during a “hostile reconnaissance” carried out before the stabbing.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Zeraati told the police the incident left him “scared and anxious”, compelling him to relocate abroad out of “fear of any reprisals”.
The two Romanians visited the property in Wimbledon on eight occasions across five dates and had flown into London “expressly” to attack the journalist, the prosecution said.
Plotting the attack had taken over a year, the prosecution added.
Rupert Kent, prosecuting, said: “These defendants knew, or at the very least ought reasonably to have known, the attack upon Mr Zeraati was instigated by a foreign power, we submit namely the Iranian regime, with which the defendants had an indirect relationship through third parties.”
Iran International, based in London, is “critical of the Iranian regime”, the court heard, with the publication being proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the Islamic Republic.
Mr Zeraati was a high-profile journalist on Iran International, with a billboard of his face being seen in Tehran with a “Wanted: Dead or Alive” message accompanying it, the court heard.
CCTV footage shows Pouria Zeraati running from a knife attack which left him bleeding in the street outside his home in Wimbledon
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Judge Cheema-Grubb said: “Oppressive regimes tend to do all they can to suppress opposition, they cannot abide the serious scrutiny that fearless journalists provide.”
“His first thought upon being attacked was that he had been targeted due to his work as a journalist critical of the Iranian regime,” said Mr Kent.
Jurors heard the attackers were seen laughing as they fled the scene and headed to Heathrow airport, to fly to Geneva, Switzerland.
Stana was described by his barrister, Peter Caldwell KC as “functionally illiterate” and “not aware of current affairs” so “could not have known” he was operating on behalf of Iran.
“Mr Stana was useful to others for the conduct that they had intended but he himself did not know the use to which he was being put,” said Mr Caldwell.
Badea’s barrister, David Spens KC, said the court “cannot be sure” it was his client who had stabbed Mr Zeraati.
A spokesman for Iran International said: “The attack on Pouria was appalling – terrifying for him and his wife, and shocking to his colleagues at Iran International.
“We are thankful and grateful to the police and the UK government for their work and expertise in bringing these men to justice.
“It would be good to think these sentences would act as a deterrence against further attacks.
“Our journalists are subject to an ongoing campaign of intimidation by the Islamic Republic of Iran – both in Iran itself where their relatives are routinely threatened and treated harshly as well as to themselves on British soil.”
He continued by thanking the British authorities and police for the protection they give the media company.