Detectives investigating the stabbing of Iranian international journalist Pouria Zeraati outside her London home believe the three suspects fled the UK within hours of the attack.

A broadcast journalist for a dissident Iranian news channel was stabbed outside his home in Wimbledon shortly before 3pm on Friday and was hospitalized with a leg injury.British counter-terrorism police have launched an investigation into the attack

Iran International, which Tehran considers a terrorist organization, said it has been facing “serious threats” for 18 months and noted that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have been targeting journalists and their families. Iran’s charge d’affaires in the UK, Mehdi Hosseini Mateen, said “we deny” any connection with the incident.

Scotland Yard said late on Tuesday that detectives believed three suspects were involved, but all were believed to have fled the UK via Heathrow Airport hours after the attack.

Police said in a statement: “Detectives have determined that two men approached the victim on a residential street and assaulted her. The suspects fled the scene in a vehicle driven by a third man.

“The blue Mazda 3 was abandoned in the New Maldon area shortly after the attack. Detectives have located the vehicle and forensic experts are examining it. Searches in the area are continuing.

“Investigative teams have established that the suspect abandoned his car and headed directly to Heathrow Airport, leaving the UK within hours of the attack.”

Iran International spokesman Adam Bailey said on Saturday the incident was “terrible” but Mr Zelati was “doing well” and recovering in hospital. Hours later, Mr. Zelati posted a photo of himself in hospital, holding up a peace sign.

Britain’s Metropolitan Police previously said the motive for the attack was unclear, but Zelati’s profession, coupled with recent threats against Iranian journalists based in the UK, meant the investigation was being led by specialist counter-terrorism officers.

It is understood that over the past two years police have foiled a number of plots to kidnap or kill individuals in the UK or in the UK considered enemies of the Iranian regime.

Mr Bailey told BBC Radio 4: “Whatever the outcome of the investigation, this is a shocking, appalling incident.” today program. “But for him, as a lead presenter, and our other presenters and reporters, yes, it was a huge shock. It was the first of its kind.”

He added: “Iran’s international organization, along with colleagues from BBC Farsi, has been under threat, very serious threats, over the past 18 months since the IRGC kept repeating ‘we are coming for you’.”

He said the IRGC “contacted through agents and they don’t leave a paper trail”, adding: “Nobody is going to call from the IRGC and say ‘Hey, it’s us’ but families have been taken Under interrogation.” and threatened. “

He added: “The scale has increased dramatically over the past few months. And the scale and type of inquiries have become more aggressive – ‘tell your relatives to stop working for this channel’ and so on.”

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