UK court delays trial of suspects in attack on Iran International journalist

The trial of two Romanian nationals accused of attacking Iran International TV presenter Pouria Zeraati has been postponed by five weeks on the order of a judge at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales.

The next court session is scheduled for Friday, May 16.

Nandito Badea, 20, and George Stana, 24, appeared via video link and used a translator to address the court. Both are being held in Belmarsh, a high-security prison in southeast London.

The pair were arrested in Romania in connection with the stabbing of Zeraati and extradited to the United Kingdom under an existing agreement between the two countries.

An indictment was issued against them following a review of evidence from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command. The charges include causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Zeraati was attacked on March 29 outside his residence in Wimbledon, south London, and sustained injuries to his leg. He was discharged from hospital two days later. The motive for the attack remains undetermined, but the case is being handled by counterterrorism investigators given previous threats to journalists at Iran International.

In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Iranian government uses criminal groups to target individuals in Western countries.

The Iranian government has denied any involvement in the attack.