Two men have been sentenced to a combined total of 20 years in prison following a daylight stabbing attack on an Iranian television presenter in London, in a case that highlighted the involvement of Iranian state proxies operating in the United Kingdom.

The assault occurred in March 2024 near Wimbledon, south London, as Pouria Zeraati, a presenter for Iran International, was walking to his car en route to a studio appearance. Zeraati was stabbed three times in the leg during the attack. The two men responsible had traveled from Romania and reportedly spent a month surveilling Zeraati’s residence, located near the Wimbledon tennis grounds.

At the Old Bailey, prosecutors described the attackers as motivated by financial gain while acting as proxies for the Iranian government. Duncan Atkinson KC, leading the prosecution, detailed that a third accomplice restrained Zeraati from behind while one of the men, Nandito Badea, 21, stabbed him. David Andrei, 22, was said to have held the victim’s arms, allowing the assault to happen. After the attack, the assailants fled in a vehicle driven by George Stana, 25, who waited nearby with the engine running. The trio abandoned the car and took a taxi to Heathrow Airport.

Badea and Stana were found guilty of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Judge Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb sentenced Stana to 12 years in prison, stating there was "overwhelming" evidence the Iranian state commissioned the assault. She added that Stana "knew or ought to have known" he was acting on behalf of Iran. The judge described the attack as a “grave and cowardly” act committed in public against an unsuspecting victim.

Badea received an eight-year sentence. However, the judge indicated there was insufficient evidence to conclusively prove that he was aware of acting on behalf of the Iranian regime. Previously a professional footballer with Romanian clubs FC Astra Giurgiu and CS Blejoi, Badea later worked in construction and met Andrei at a music festival in Ploiesti, Romania. Andrei has not been extradited to the UK due to ongoing legal proceedings in Romania.

Zeraati was a prominent presenter for Iran International, a London-based broadcaster critical of the Iranian government. The channel, located in Chiswick, west London, has frequently been targeted by Tehran and was designated a terrorist organization by Iran in 2022. This attack underscores ongoing tensions and covert actions linked to Iranian state interests within the UK.