Summary
Episode 3 deepens the espionage story as Tamar is trying to evade her own team and the authorities in the country.
This recap of Apple TV+ series Tehran season 1, episode 3, “Jasmine’s Girl” contains significant spoilers. Apple will be releasing the first three episodes and then it will be weekly.
We will be recapping every episode — check out the archive.
The opening
Tamar politely asks Arezoo if she can enter her house. They go for a walk and Arezoo asks how Tamar got here — she can’t bring her in because she’s an Israeli Jew. Tamar begs her for one night but Arezoo is worried about putting her daughter at risk. Tamar talks about her sister and how much she loved her — Arezoo tells her she needs to hide.
A temporary home
Arezoo changes her mind and allows Tamar into her house. Tamar looks around and analyses the photos and takes in the environment. She meets Arezoo’s daughter and husband. Arezoo has told her family that she’s called Zahra and that she’s a student of hers.
This is clearly a personal, dangerous situation for both Tamar and Arezoo — the whole situation is enriched in deep family history that is pulling them all together. But at what cost?
It’s a date
Tamar messages her hacker nicknamed “Sick-boy” and promises him a date. She rings the hacker and they arrange a date the next day. Before the conversation ends, Tamar asks for a passport. Sick-boy offers to get her a passport as long as she does him a favor.
Keeping track of Tamar
Faraz continues to investigate where Tamar is and speaks to the neighbor whose apartment she jumped out of. Meanwhile, Yael at Israeli Headquarters has managed to get her team to hack into Tamar’s laptop — they know where she’s meeting Sick-boy.
There is a cat and mouse situation in episode 3 where both Yael and Faraz are tracking Tamar for different reasons; it’s a clash of intelligence units and it’s quite interesting.
The travel agency
Ali shows Faraz more footage near the electric company. They manage to track down “The Eagle” who was helping Tamar. He runs a travel agency — “Tabrizi Tours” and his real name is Masoud Tabrizi — he owns the agency. Faraz asks Ali’s team to follow him but not get too close. Meanwhile, Yael rings Masoud and gives him the location of Tamar.
It almost feels impossible for Tamar to not get caught, or so we thought.
Standing up to oppression
Tamar meets Sick-boy at a University — he shows her the city’s control system for the cameras. He wants to shut them down or many people will be arrested the next day from a student protest — he asks Tamar to see what she can do. At the University, a student preaches about freedom and how they need to stand against oppression. Sick-boy joins the protest but Tamar wants to leave. He insists she should join.
And thus, this is where Tamar crosses the line and puts Arezoo’s family at risk.
Chaos
At the protest, both Masoud and Ali are there looking for Tamar. As there’s a crowd, it’s difficult for both men to find her. A woman stands on a car and takes off her hijab which causes chaos with the crowd. With tensions heightening, Tamar leaves the scene but Ali sees her and runs at her — Masoud knocks Ali over and pretends it is an accident.
Putting the family at risk
Arezoo’s daughter comes home and tells her mother that Tamar was with the conspirators at the student; she’s upset. Arezoo’s husband learns the truth that Tamar is Israeli and accuses her of putting the family at risk.
You promised me a passport
Sick-boy takes Tamar to an after-party. He gives her a drink to celebrate after she managed to take out the cameras. Tamar wants to leave and tells Sick-boy that he promised her a passport before kissing him on the cheek and leaving.
Fuming Masoud
Masoud is angry and fumes at Yael because Tamar is being irresponsible at a student protest. Meir asks Masoud if he has been followed and that he should take it into account.
A sweet goodbye
Tamar returns to Arezoo’s house and apologizes for any trouble she has caused. She offers to leave; Arezoo believes her sister sent Tamar from the heavens. Tamar asks Arezoo if she ever regrets not going to Israel with her sister. Tamar leaves the house after they share a warm embrace.
This was a sad goodbye; families split by religion/politics and danger for their lives.
The ending
Ali and his team find Masoud and believe he is with Tamar. But it’s not Tamar. They arrest him but Ali is angry that Tamar isn’t there.
As Tamar leaves Arezoo’s house, a man arrives at the house and claims that a taxi was ordered to her address in her name.
Tamar walks the streets and she’s suddenly surrounded.
Tehran season 1, episode 3 deepens the espionage story as Tamar is trying to evade her own team and the authorities in the country. Plenty of themes are introduced into the story about family divides and loyalties which enhances the story.
