‘A hunting ground for foreign regimes’: why violent attacks on dissidents are on the rise in Britain

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 RussiaAs 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 on behalf of the Iranian regime in Tehran. A punishment for Zeraati’s . 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 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.