Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in south-west London. Photo: Pouria Zeraati
Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in south-west London. Photo: Pouria Zeraati
Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in south-west London. Photo: Pouria Zeraati
Iran International journalist Pouria Zeraati was stabbed outside his home in south-west London. Photo: Pouria Zeraati

Pouria Zeraati attack: Suspects in stabbing of Iranian journalist 'flew in from Europe'


Gillian Duncan
  • English
  • Arabic

An Iranian journalist stabbed in London has shared a report that claims his attackers were hired from eastern Europe and flown in to Britain ahead of the incident.

Pouria Zeraati, host of Iran International's Final Word, was stabbed in the leg outside his home in Wimbledon last month.

He posted on X on Friday, sharing a story detailing the latest police theories about the attack.

According to The Guardian, detectives believe three male suspects were hired from eastern Europe to carry out the attack and one may be linked to Albania.

Those who planned the attack, which is believed to be linked to the Iranian regime, are thought to have used knowledge of criminal gangs to hire the attackers, it added.

The strategy of using proxies makes it easier for Iran to deny involvement, while anyone hired from eastern Europe is unlikely to be on UK watch lists.

Mr Zeraati, 36, was crossing the road to get to his car outside his home in south-west London when a man wearing a black hooded tracksuit approached him.

“He said, ‘Brother, I need £3 in cash,'” Mr Zeraati told The Sunday Times.

He told the man he did not have any change. At that point, a second man ran across the road and grabbed Mr Zeraati in a bear hug.

He said he could not see the man’s face or move his hands but saw the first man take a knife from his pocket.

“It was like something gangsters would use; it wasn’t a kitchen knife. The whole thing lasted about 10 seconds." he added.

“In those few seconds, the only thing I was thinking was: where is he going to stab me – in my throat, in my eyes, in my heart? They had the chance to kill me.”

Mr Zeraati was stabbed in the back of his right thigh. He was taken to hospital, where he received stitches for the wound and was sent home within 48 hours.

Iran International and its journalists have previously been targets of Tehran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The channel in London aims to provide independent coverage of Iran, which has declared the outlet a terrorist organisation.

In January, the British Foreign Office imposed sanctions on members of the IRGC’s Unit 840, after an ITV investigation into a plot to kill two Iran International presenters in the UK.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) this week urged the UK government to better protect Iranian journalists who are being targeted with "chilling" repression by Tehran.

RSF said almost 90 per cent of Iranian journalists surveyed had experienced online threats or harassment, including death or rape threats, in the past five years.

Female respondents said they or their family members had been sent explicit images while facing campaigns to damage their reputations.

"Iran has for a very long time been systematically targeting journalists who report on Iran from abroad in an effort to silence them," RSF UK director Fiona O'Brien said. "The impact on journalists and on journalism is really devastating."

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The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.

Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.

However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.

Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.

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There are numerous success stories of teen businesses that were created in college dorm rooms and other modest circumstances. Below are some of the most recognisable names in the industry:

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  2. Dell: When Michael Dell was an undergraduate student at Texas University in 1984, he started upgrading computers for profit. He starting working full-time on his business when he was 19. Eventually, his company became the Dell Computer Corporation and then Dell Inc. 
  3. Subway: Fred DeLuca opened the first Subway restaurant when he was 17. In 1965, Mr DeLuca needed extra money for college, so he decided to open his own business. Peter Buck, a family friend, lent him $1,000 and together, they opened Pete’s Super Submarines. A few years later, the company was rebranded and called Subway. 
  4. Mashable: In 2005, Pete Cashmore created Mashable in Scotland when he was a teenager. The site was then a technology blog. Over the next few decades, Mr Cashmore has turned Mashable into a global media company.
  5. Oculus VR: Palmer Luckey founded Oculus VR in June 2012, when he was 19. In August that year, Oculus launched its Kickstarter campaign and raised more than $1 million in three days. Facebook bought Oculus for $2 billion two years later.
What sanctions would be reimposed?

Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:

  • An arms embargo
  • A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
  • A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
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Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

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Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

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Jersey 147 (20 overs) 

UAE 112 (19.2 overs)

Jersey win by 35 runs

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What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

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May 15: Yokohama, Japan
June 5: Leeds, UK
June 24: Montreal, Canada
July 10: Hamburg, Germany
Aug 17-22: Edmonton, Canada (World Triathlon Championship Final)
Nov 5-6 : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date TBC: Chengdu, China

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The biog

Age: 59

From: Giza Governorate, Egypt

Family: A daughter, two sons and wife

Favourite tree: Ghaf

Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense 

Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”

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The jiu-jitsu men’s team: Faisal Al Ketbi, Zayed Al Kaabi, Yahia Al Hammadi, Taleb Al Kirbi, Obaid Al Nuaimi, Omar Al Fadhli, Zayed Al Mansoori, Saeed Al Mazroui, Ibrahim Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Qubaisi, Salem Al Suwaidi, Khalfan Belhol, Saood Al Hammadi.

Women’s team: Mouza Al Shamsi, Wadeema Al Yafei, Reem Al Hashmi, Mahra Al Hanaei, Bashayer Al Matrooshi, Hessa Thani, Salwa Al Ali.

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Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

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ESSENTIALS

The flights

Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Rio de Janeiro from Dh7,000 return including taxes. Avianca fliles from Rio to Cusco via Lima from $399 (Dhxx) return including taxes. 

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From US$1,830 per deluxe cabin, twin share, for the one-night Spirit of the Water itinerary and US$4,630 per deluxe cabin for the Peruvian Highlands itinerary, inclusive of meals, and beverages. Surcharges apply for some excursions.

Keane on …

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Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
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Price: On request

Updated: April 19, 2024, 8:41 AM`