Iran and China among those accused of targeting critics living in the UK, as arson attack on prime minister Keir Starmer’s properties linked to Russia
As Pouria Zeraati was crossing the street between his Wimbledon home and his car in south London in March 2024, he was confronted by two men. One held him firmly as the other stabbed him three times in the leg before they both fled.
It was later said to be a targeted attack on behalf of the Iranian regime in Tehran. A punishment for Zeraati’s work as a journalist covering Iran. He survived, but the ambush is one of dozens of violent incidents in recent years linked to foreign states.
Russia, China, India, Saudi Arabia and Iran have all been blamed for targeting critics and dissidents living in the UK in the past decade, and linked to incidents involving physical assaults, attempted kidnap, stabbings and an acid attack.
State-threat investigations run by MI5 jumped by 48% in a year, and there have been more than 20 threat-to-life cases relating to Iran since 2022.
“The UK government is not prepared to stand up to anybody,” says Ben Keith, a barrister specialising in cross-border cases, as other experts say the UK is wedded to ineffective diplomacy that is doing nothing to stop the attacks.
The article was published by The Guardian on 21 June 2026, to read it in full, please click here.
Ben Keith is a leading barrister specialising in cross-border and international cases. He deals with all aspects of Extradition, Human Rights, Mutual Legal Assistance, Interpol, Financial crime and International Law including sanctions. He represents governments, political and military leaders, High Net Worth individuals, human rights defenders and business leaders in the most sensitive cases.
A specialist in political cases and those arising from corporate raiding (see recent seminar at Chatham House here). A leading authority on the removal of INTERPOL Red Notices for worldwide clients, he edits the Red Notice Monitor blog. Dealing with politically motivated allegations and the use of transnational repression by foreign governments.
