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An Iranian journalist living in London has testified about a frightening stabbing incident that occurred just outside his home. Pouria Zeraati, who works as a presenter for the Persian-language channel Iran International, described the attack as violent and alarming. He explained to the court how he managed to control the bleeding using a builder’s utility belt after being stabbed in the upper thigh.
The incident took place on 29 March 2024 and has led to the trial of two Romanian men at Woolwich Crown Court. George Stana, 25, and Nandito Badea, 21, face charges including wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, which both defendants deny. Prosecutors claim that the attackers were hired by the Iranian state, having flown from Romania to London specifically to carry out this assault.
Zeraati’s account to the court detailed how he was approached by two men as he was heading to his car near his Wimbledon residence. One man asked for a small amount of change while the other held him firmly, preventing him from moving his arms. Zeraati said, “the first person took out a knife from his pocket” and proceeded to stab his right thigh repeatedly while maintaining eye contact. The attackers then fled swiftly towards Wimbledon Common without taking anything from him. Recognizing this was not a robbery but likely linked to prior threats he had received, Zeraati called emergency services and was aided by a nearby construction worker who helped stop the bleeding.
The prosecution presented evidence that the attack was premeditated and organized. Surveillance of Zeraati’s home had allegedly been conducted over the course of a year, beginning in March 2023. On one occasion, his wife recorded footage of two men entering their communal garden wearing masks and gloves; when stopped by police, one man had sporting equipment and the other carried a large sum of cash, identified as Stana. Further reconnaissance occurred in the months leading up to the assault. According to Duncan Atkinson KC, the men carried out the stabbing after waiting for their victim for hours, with one man acting as the getaway driver. The defendants and an accomplice, David Andrei—who remains in Romania and is not on trial—are said to have fled the country immediately after the attack, traveling to Geneva via Heathrow Airport.
Also disclosed during the trial was the prior intimidation of Zeraati’s wife, Oldouz Rezvani, who was threatened in November 2022 by two men on a motorcycle near her gym in Chelsea. One of the assailants, speaking in Farsi, warned, “your husband is our enemy” and issued death threats before leaving. Rezvani described the encounter as “an incredibly scary situation,” emphasizing her desire to get away from the scene quickly. The trial, which challenges claims that this was a random criminal act, is expected to continue for up to four weeks at Woolwich Crown Court
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