ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq - Iran on Thursday summoned the British ambassador to Tehran to issued a formal note of protest after London alleged that the stabbing of an Iran International journalist in 2024 was orchestrated at the behest of the Iranian state.
Pouria Zeraati, a reporter for the anti-Islamic Republic outlet, was attacked by two Romanian nationals in the British capital on March 30, 2024, suffering stab wounds but ultimately recovering.
The pair of assailants were found guilty on Sunday, with the judge determining that the evidence “overwhelmingly points“ to the Iranian government having ordered the attack.
Following the verdict, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) summoned the Iranian charge d'affaires in London on Tuesday to officially protest “Iran’s actions attempt to undermine UK sovereignty and security.“
An FCDO spokesperson said that the stabbing incident in question “follows a longstanding pattern of hostile activity by the Iranian intelligence services on UK soil,“ adding that “we take threats posed by Iran and those who do its bidding extremely seriously.“
“Protecting national security, upholding media freedom and freedom of expression, remain our top priorities.“
The Thursday summoning of the British ambassador in Tehran saw the Iranian foreign ministry convey “its protest to the ambassador regarding the inappropriate approach of the British government towards the Iranian people,“ dismissing the court ruling as “unfounded.“
“Such accusations are nothing more than a smokescreen and an attempt to evade accountability for destructive behavior that violates international law, particularly [the UK's] collusion with the United States and the Zionist regime in committing heinous crimes and destabilizing the Middle East, as well as its hosting of anti-Iranian terrorist networks,“ Iranian state media reported.
“The Director General for Western Europe at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised the British government to, instead of making ridiculous and fabricated accusations against Iran, correct its behavior towards the Iranian people, and to cease hosting and supporting terrorist and violent groups and individuals.“
In 2022, Tehran designated Iran International, which is headquarted in London, a terrorist organization, a title shared by the BBC's Persian language service.
The UK has long accused Iran of engaging in espionage and efforts to intimidate and kill dissidents on British shores.
MI5, the UK's domestic intelligence service, in its 2025 Annual Threat Report, said that the agency “tracked more than twenty potentially lethal Iran-backed plots“ in the country over a calender year, adding that “behind the scenes, MI5 and our police partners continue to catch those who are reckless enough to become Iranian pawns.“
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