Tehran is the Israeli spy thriller that made a name for itself on Kan 11 before Apple TV picked it up for international audiences. It follows Tamar Rabinyan, played by Niv Sultan, a Mossad agent of Iranian Jewish descent on her first mission in Tehran, the city of her birth. The show premiered in Israel on 22 June 2020 and internationally on Apple TV on 25 September of the same year. Its second season brought Glenn Close into the cast, and its third season, with Hugh Laurie joining, arrived on Kan 11 on 9 December 2024, followed by Apple TV on 9 January 2026.
Trailer, via Apple TV.
Tamar Rabinyan and The Mission
Tamar’s mission is simple: get into Tehran under a false identity and help destroy Iran’s nuclear reactor. The mission fails. That failure sends the plot into its most interesting place, as Tamar must plan an operation that will put everyone she loves in danger.
The Cast and The Dialogue
Niv Sultan carries the series as Tamar Rabinyan. Shaun Toub plays Faraz Kamali, Shervin Alenabi plays Milad, and Hugh Laurie joins the cast for the third season as Eric Peterson. The show features dialogue in Hebrew, Persian, and English, which gives the series a lived-in international feel rather than a staged one.
Where It Earned Its Praise
- The writing pairs Moshe Zonder with Omri Shenhar, with direction from Daniel Syrkin.
- The show premiered on 22 June 2020 in Israel before international streaming.
- Glenn Close joined the cast for the second season.
- Hugh Laurie joined for the third season, released on Kan 11 on 9 December 2024.
- Tehran won the award for best drama series at the 49th International Emmy Awards, becoming the first Israeli series to win this award.
What Holds It Back
The show is at its best when it is about Tamar’s personal stakes and the moral weight of her choices. The political and tactical material is solid but often secondary to her character’s arc. The series is a strong entry in the spy genre, with a sharp cast and a lead performance that keeps the momentum going. But it never fully commits to the scale its premise suggests, and some middle episodes feel like padding between set pieces.
The Score
Tehran is a well-made series with a good cast and a lead performance worth watching. It is not a masterpiece, and its ambitions outpace its execution in some stretches. For what it is — a tense, character-driven spy thriller with real stakes — it delivers. The series has earned its reputation and its Emmy win. It is worth watching, especially for the character moments and the cast chemistry.
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