An Iranian was almost stabbed to death in a Dutch migrant centre after fellow asylum seekers reportedly found out he was gay.

Police initially thought the attack on the 25-year-old in the town of Bellingwolde in the north-eastern part of the Netherlands was drugs-related.

But an LGBT organisation says it has witness statements confirming that the assault was because the victim is gay.

A shocking picture has emerged of the Iranian lying in a pool of his own blood shortly after the knifing.

An Iranian was almost stabbed to death in a Dutch migrant centre after fellow asylum seekers reportedly found out he was gay

A 34-year-old Tunisian asylum-seeker is suspected of carrying out the attack on September 15, details of which have only just emerged.

The young Iranian man had just left the room of an Iranian family in the asylum centre when the attack unfolded.

They had been drinking gin to celebrate his 26th birthday the next day.

When he walked out of the room after the small party, he was immediately attacked and a knife wound in the thigh, severed a main artery, according to reports.

The Iranian immediately fell to the ground. Paramedics were called and rushed him to a nearby hospital.

The police initially said the motive was that the Iranian had refused to sell a joint to his attacker.

Police initially thought the attack on the 25-year-old in the town of Bellingwolde (pictured) in the north-eastern part of the Netherlands was drugs-related

But LGBT Asylum Support says it has statements of witnesses confirming the homophobic motive.

The organisation's Sandro Kortekaas said: 'At least it looks like a good idea and desirable to me to reinvestigate the case.'

The victim recovered from the stabbing and is now living in another asylum centre.

Kortekaas added: 'The central asylum centre authority gives a false sense of security. Even if the victim has been moved, he is still confronted by friends of the perpetrator.'

The public prosecutor's office said in a statement that while their initial investigation has not yet proven there was any anti-gay motive, they had decided to look into the matter.