Diksha Sundriyal
Reaching its mid-way mark for the first season, ‘Tehran’ takes some decisive actions for each of its characters. This episode also proves just how tautly framed this series is. There is no character that doesn’t serve a greater purpose in the arc, even if it might not seem like it at the moment, and there is no scene that is redundant or out of place here. The episode also balances the scale for the opposing factions in the show, where both of them prove adept at finding out each other’s weakness and using it to their own end. And all of this happens for Tamar, who’s on a different journey altogether now. If you haven’t seen the show yet, head over to Apple TV Plus. SPOILERS AHEAD!
Tehran Season 1 Episode 4 Recap
After leaving her aunt’s house, Tamar’s paths cross with Razieh and her friends. They attack her, in between which, Tamar injures Razieh. While Tamar goes to Sick-boy, aka Milad, for help, Razieh is advised by her friend to report the incident to the Intelligence. Razieh follows through with it but doesn’t realize that it only means more problems for her family. Arezoo gets caught up in the investigation, and she gives some details about her niece that prove crucial in Faraz’s search for her. Masoud’s interrogation leads to the revelation of some well-kept secret, but he tries not to break down under pressure. The same, however, can’t be said about the people working for him.
Meanwhile, Tamar tries to secure a passport for herself but it proves tricky when Milad seems distracted with other things. Eventually, he discovers that her real name is not Zahra, and Tamar uses the cover of Zilah to create a sob-story for herself and get Milad’s sympathy. Faraz stays in touch with his wife, who had flown to Paris without him, and is happy to discover that her surgery went well. It is revealed that she had been suffering from seizures, and this surgery means that she is alright now. While they celebrate this victory, a huge blow waits for them right around the corner.
The Ending
Tamar finds a refuge in Milad’s house, who had promised to get a passport for him. But when he fails to do so, not recognizing the danger that Tamar is in, she decides to take things into her own hands. She visits Masoud’s house and finds a clean passport, but this also leads to a very close brush with Faraz’s men who are interrogating Masoud to locate Tamar. Eventually, Tamar gets her passport, but by then, she gets indulged in the story that she had told Milad, under the identity of Zilah.
She is also unnerved by the hatred against the Zionists that entire Iran seems to hold, including her cousin, Razieh, and because she couldn’t complete the task that Mossad had assigned her, she decides to give it another shot when Milad offers her an alternative. This means that Tamar is going to stay in Tehran for a few more days, and the way things are unfolding (of which she seems completely unaware), these days might make all the difference for her. This could be the time that Tamar looks back at and wishes that she had left Iran when she had the chance.
While following the steps of Tamar, as she tries to secure her escape, the episode also gives some time to Faraz. A striking balance is portrayed in the way he handles his job and how he is in his personal space. By far, Faraz has proved to be exceptional at his job. He is intuitive and has a knack for being in the right place at the right time. What he wants seems almost in his grasp, and he only loses it by an inch sometimes. He is heavily indulged in his job, in favor of which he let his wife fly alone to Paris for brain surgery. But this doesn’t mean that he is the cold and distant man that an outsider might perceive him as.
From the first episode itself, the show had made a point of showing us that the job is important to Faraz, but so is his wife. The fourth episode highlights it again, and the ending brings the point home. While Faraz had discovered Masoud’s identity, his own name was also brought to the Mossad’s attention. With one of their agents lost in Tehran and an important contact arrested for questioning, they had to do something about it. They knew that Faraz was heading this hunt for Mossad agents, and the only way they could manipulate him into letting their people go was to make things personal.
Faraz’s wife is supposed to fly home after her surgery, but she is intercepted by the Mossad, and they are most probably going to use her as leverage to get their way with Faraz. This means good news for Masoud, who has been holding tight till now. By far, he had an explanation for every question, and this even led to the exposure of his secret relationship with a client. Due to Tamar’s recklessness, Razieh reported her to Faraz, and this has not only created problems for Arezoo’s family but has also revealed the true identity of Tamar. Now that they know exactly who she is, they might use it in their favor, and with Tamar still in Tehran, things are only going to get more complicated from here.
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