Two Romanian citizens were convicted in London today of an attack on a journalist for a Persian-language news television station, which prosecutors claim was carried out at the request of authorities in Tehran.
The jury found 21-year-old Nandita Badea and 25-year-old George Stana guilty of causing bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
The host of London-based Iran International television, Puri Zerati, was stabbed in the leg in March 2024 outside his home in the Wimbledon neighborhood, and the journalist has since recovered and returned to work.
Badea and Stana were arrested in Romania in December 2024 and extradited to the UK, while another suspect is the subject of criminal proceedings in Romania.
London police official Chris Wright described the attack as "targeted and violent" and added that the prosecution had established during the trial that it was carried out "on behalf of the Iranian regime."
The jury's verdict does not conclude that the attack was carried out on behalf of Iran, although prosecutors said the judge could determine that when the defendants are sentenced on July 3.
A senior Iranian diplomat in the UK denied that Tehran was behind the attack.
Iran International has previously received threats for reporting that criticized the theocratic government in Tehran.
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