Abhiroop Das
Created by Moshe Zonder, ‘Tehran’ continues Tamar’s journey through a tragic reality in season 3, where she has neither Marjan nor Milad to rely on. Declared a rogue agent by Mossad, Tamar has to fight a battle on both sides merely to live another day, and this leads her on a particularly cruel path, where the only way to prove herself worthy of existence is by digging through several layers of secrets and finding intelligence that no one else can. In the previous episode of this spy thriller series, Tamar works together with Talia to retrieve Marjan’s laptop, which then leads them to an Iranian hideout where the government is smuggling uranium and building nuclear weapons. Episode 2 of this season, titled ‘Friend or Foe,’ Tamar goes one layer deeper into this hellish landscape, with a new potential alliance brimming on the horizon. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Tamar Baits Faraz Into Hacking Mohammadi’s Computer
‘Tehran’ season 3 episode 2 picks up right where the previous episode left off, with Tamar holding Nahid at gunpoint. While Faraz is effectively rendered helpless, he doesn’t exactly back off either and taunts Tamar about her partner’s death. Unfazed, she declares that her reason for this sudden takeover is not revenge, but mutual assistance. As it turns out, before her death, Marjan had written an email to Mohammadi and put it on autosend as a failsafe measure. She used to periodically disable it, but that changed with her death. That email contains a virus that is likely not strong enough to infiltrate the entire Iranian network, but can still lead the officials directly to Nahid and Faraz as the people who took Marjan’s life. What’s particularly troublesome, however, is that the email can only be deleted from Mohammadi’s account, and this is where Faraz comes in.
While Tamar holds Nahid hostage and directs Faraz via call, the latter is tasked with breaking into Mohammadi’s vacant office and hacking the computer, following which Tamar can remotely get rid of the email. This entire plan, however, is a set-up, and we see that Tamar’s real goal was to break into Mohammadi’s accounts, even if it means jeopardizing Nahid and Faraz’s safety. Still, her plan is only half-successful, as the Iranian operatives quickly catch wind of the hacking attempt, forcing Faraz to escape through the back door. Accordingly, Tamar decides to leave the house as well, but not before she shares a potent moment with Nahid, empathizing with her decision to kill Marjan, and also advising her to leave the country.
The Owl Becomes Tamar’s New Supervisor
Tamar’s small but significant victory is cut short when she is ambushed on her way out by a stranger, who knocks her unconscious, ties her up, and then shoves her into his van. As she slips in and out of consciousness, the man appears to be singing in Hebrew, indicating that he is not an Iranian official, but a Mossad agent. By the time Tamar fully wakes up, it is confirmed that the man is none other than the Owl, Mossad’s most infamous presence in Iran. Unbeknownst to Tamar, Talia has been apprehended already and is on the cusp of being charged with treason and being imprisoned, if not outright killed. Worst is yet to come for Tamar, as the Owl shows no hesitation to torture the details out of her, specifically about what intelligence she collected from Marjan’s laptop. Surprisingly, Tamar gives in before the torture begins, but not without bargaining a temporary truce with Yulia.
As per the information collected by Tamar, the date of the next nuclear shipment is known, but its location and quantity are not. A key detail that emerged earlier in her search is a name on Mohammadi’s computer: Ramin Ghasemi. The Owl happens to know this man as the most infamous trafficker in Iran, who serves as the main supplier for essentially anyone who dares to ask. While Ramin might not be the man behind the operation, he definitely is linked in a major way, and that means getting information from him in any way possible. To that end, the Owl is assigned as Tamar’s new handler, and she is released for the day. Back at the women’s shelter, Tamar notices a pregnant woman wincing who turns down an offer for help.
Tamar’s Visit to Ramin Ends With Her in a Police Car
The following day, Faraz is called to Mohammadi’s office, which now belongs to Larijani. Faraz is not here as a suspect; however, the police are still going through the digital footprint to trace the criminal. Still, it is a matter of time before Faraz is caught, and until then, he has to put up the facade of agreeableness. Larijani appears to have bigger plans for the head investigator, but first, he must get rid of a major roadblock: Eric Peterson. The nuclear examiner has been locked in the hotel for two days now, and with the Iranian nuclear deal going forward, Larijani does not want him around. Luckily for Faraz, Peterson dug his own grave in episode 1, and here, he is arrested with his entire team while trying to get the camera out secretly.
Tamar wakes up to the sounds of screaming coming from the pregnant woman’s dorm. As it turns out, she has endometriosis, a tissue condition that can directly harm her baby. While the condition is treatable by medicine, the recent social upheaval has made access to it nearly impossible. To that end, Tamar takes charge of locating the medicine by any means necessary, as it just so gives her the perfect excuse to meet Ramin. Elsewhere, Nahid visits a tech shop looking for a VPN, and while her reasoning isn’t explained, it is likely that she wants to talk to her relatives in Finland and is hoping to flee the country along with Faraz. Given how deep he is in danger, though, the chances of this couple having a happy ending are dwindling by the second.
The Owl’s plan to infiltrate Ramin’s network is simple: let Tamar talk to him as a grieving local. The fact that she needs the medicine serves as a perfect excuse and starts a dialogue between her and Ramin. While the duo discusses life in this new political order, she notices that he keeps all of his records in a physical notebook, and that accessing them can lead her directly to information about the nuclear warheads. A second meeting is set up between the two of them for the next day, but it is interrupted when Tamar catches sight of an officer assaulting a couple for their public display of affection. Enraged, she steps onto the field without second thought, only to get detained and pushed into the police vehicle. Both Ramin and the Owl can only watch in horror as Tamar’s story is swept into an unpredictable direction yet again.
Read More: Tehran Season 3 Episode 1 Recap: Radioactive World
