'Tehran' Season 3 Episode 4 Recap: Who Were The Masked Men?

In the previous episode, Tamar saw Eric Peterson at Ramin’s warehouse; whether he is willfully helping the Iranians or is being threatened to do so isn’t clarified in episode 4 of season 3 of Tehran, either. For now, it is safe to assume that Eric doesn’t have an option. He is being held captive, and even if he doesn’t wish to help the Iranians build a nuclear weapon, he doesn’t really have a choice. Yulia reminds Tamar that she has to place the beacon on the vehicle that would be carrying the weapon component. But it wasn’t an easy task. Tamar manages to make it to the guarded shipment area, but things take a violent turn when a group of masked men arrive at the spot. The Iranian officials are taken by surprise; Tamar isn’t prepared for such a violent confrontation, and everything is pretty much a mess. So, who are these masked individuals? And why did they take Eric Peterson hostage? Let’s get into the details. 

Why was Eric Peterson taken hostage?

As soon as Tamar managed to enter the shipping area, she noticed that Eric Peterson was having a disagreement with the scientists at the facility, and she concluded that he was likely being pressured to help the Iranians. While Tamar was trying to figure out a way to get to the warhead part that had been shipped, she heard a car approaching. A few armed men entered the facility, and they started firing at the guards and the scientists. Tamar figured she had to immediately get hold of the warhead part, but it wasn’t an easy task. The masked men seemed unprepared for such a confrontation. They figured that Eric Peterson was valuable to the Iranians, so they abducted him and left in their van.

Meanwhile, Yulia instructed the Owl to take down the guards who were running away with the shipment. The idea was for the Owl to shoot the men and Tamar to run away with the case, but unfortunately things didn’t go as planned. While the Owl managed to shoot a Sepah who was trying to escape, the rest managed to board their car and leave with the case. Tamar figured that the only option she had left was to put the tracker on the vehicle that the armed men left in with Eric Peterson. Tamar was in a tough spot; one of the Iranian guards was almost about to shoot her, but the Owl saved her life. He took down the man, and Tamar finally managed to escape. When Tamar thanked the Owl, he emphasized that it was simply his job, but it looked like he’d genuinely started to care for Tamar. While it might be too soon to make such a statement, the Owl, at present, is almost like a father figure to Tamar. He went above and beyond to ensure her safety, and he even defended her when Yulia implied that Tamar had failed to do her job. Tamar too had grown fond of the old man, and it looks like this bond is going to be quite integral to season 3. 

Who were the masked men?

It is eventually revealed in Tehran season 3, episode 4 that the masked men were part of the Baradaran (the Brotherhood), a violent fringe anti-government organization that operated on their own and wasn’t connected with other opposition groups. Before leaving the warehouse, Tamar took the ID of one of the dead masked men; his name was Kazem Bizhani, and Tamar had seen him at Ramin’s restaurant before. Later, when Yulia sent Tamar a picture of the members of the organization, she recognized another man she’d also seen at Ramin’s restaurant. It had become evident that the men had figured out that an important shipment was arriving at the warehouse; perhaps they even knew that it had to do with the nuclear weapon the regime was building, and they had concluded that stealing the shipment was the only way to disrupt the regime’s plan.

They failed to execute their plan and instead ended up abducting Eric Peterson, though they seemed completely clueless about who he was. He was the only White man at the warehouse, and they assumed he could be of some use to them. They were quite shocked when they discovered that the man they’d abducted was Eric Peterson, the nuclear inspector who’d been imprisoned for spying. It looked like they’d mistakenly assumed that the White man was working for the regime; therefore, abducting him would in some way fulfill their mission. But when they discovered that Peterson was imprisoned by the regime, they didn’t really know what to do with him. Issa refused to negotiate with Sepah and return a prisoner of the state (which meant going against their ideals). Their principles wouldn’t allow them to use Peterson to blackmail the regime, and at the same time, they couldn’t afford to shelter him, especially considering how desperate the regime was to get him back. Issa figured that killing him would in a way fulfill their purpose, since the regime wanted him back alive. He’d pulled out his gun and was almost about to shoot him when Peterson begged him to stop, stating that he could help his injured gang member. 

What did Ramin want from Tamar?

Ramin was furious when he discovered that his facility had been attacked. He was worried about the safety of his property, since most of his consignments had been ordered by the government. Now, Ramin had been suspicious of Tamar from the very first day he met her. He refused to believe that she was just an ordinary girl who came to him for help. Ramin also thought it was quite odd that she managed to escape from the morality police so easily. He figured she was connected to influential people, and he decided to have his men tail her. They discovered that she’d been living at the women’s shelter, and when his facility was attacked, Ramin concluded Tamar might be involved in the mess.

So, Ramin and his men forcefully entered the shelter and threatened the women living there to confess whatever information they had on Tamar. Ramin was all the more convinced that Tamar was a dubious woman when he found out that she’d told a completely different version of her life story to the woman running the shelter. When Tamar walked in, she was shocked to see Ramin and his men. Meanwhile, the Owl suspected that Tamar could be in danger, so he called her to check if she’d reached the shelter safely. Ramin received his call, and the Owl pretended to be a taxi driver. He realized Tamar was in danger when nobody responded from the other side. The Owl managed to find an entry point, and he had a clear view of Tamar and Ramin. Yulia instructed the Owl to take down Tamar if she tried to blow her cover. Tamar figured she could get away by lying to Ramin; she had to offer him something worthwhile that would calm him down. She insisted they have a word in private, and she disclosed the information Yulia had passed onto her. She explained that it was possibly the anti-regime group Baradaran who’d attempted to hit his shipment. She added that she wasn’t part of the group, but she used to see one of the members, Kazem. Now, Kazem was dead, so she figured she might as well use his identity to get away with a lie. When Tamar mentioned that she’d seen Ramin talk to one of Kazem’s friends at his restaurant, Ramin immediately asked her if she was talking about Issa. He couldn’t believe that Issa, whom he considered a friend, had betrayed him. Ramin called Issa and asked him if the friend he’d brought to his restaurant was named Kazem. Issa became furious, and he blurted out that his friend had died. Ramin figured Tamar was right; Issa and his gang were the ones who’d forcefully entered his property. Issa stated with pride that his organization had indeed attacked Ramin’s warehouse because, in a way, it belonged to the Islamic regime.

Towards the end of Tehran episode 4, when Ramin asked Issa if he got what he’d come searching for, he admitted that he hadn’t managed to get hold of the case, but he soon added that his men had brought something ‘more valuable,’ and he held the phone close to Peterson, who begged whoever was on the other side of the call to help him. Issa threatened to kill Peterson and frame Ramin for it. Ramin knew that the only way to convince Issa was by mentioning how his decision could affect the lives of his loved ones. Instead, if he used Peterson to cut a deal with Ramin, then his organization would benefit financially, and their families would be safe as well. Issa tried explaining to the rest of the members that accepting Ramin’s deal would help them get access to weapons and explosives to fight the regime with. But the members weren’t so sure about taking up arms. They had anti-regime sentiments, but at the same time, they wanted to protect their families, and they feared that making a deal with Ramin could put them in danger. It appears Ramin didn’t know that Issa was associated with the organization, but then again, it’s slightly suspicious that someone like Ramin couldn’t figure out that Issa and his friends held anti-regime sentiments. So, was Ramin acting innocent to convince the regime that he was loyal to them? Did Ramin instruct Issa to steal the briefcase because he knew the danger a nuclear weapon could pose? Was he shaking hands with the government but also secretly planning on overthrowing them? Considering how little we know about Ramin, this theory might well come true! But then again, the organization doesn’t have what it takes to stand up to the Islamic regime, so did Ramin risk it all for nothing? 

While the rest of the members left, Issa stayed with his dying friend and Eric Peterson. He might seek Peterson’s help in a last attempt to revive his friend. If Ramin is exactly who he claims to be right now, then will Issa strike a deal with Ramin on his own? We’ll hopefully find out in the next episode. 

Why did Faraz hold Tamar captive?

Faraz had found out that Nahid had decided to leave the country. He noticed the rubber band that held both his and her passports lying loose. He also discovered that Nahid had made copies of her passport, a ticket to Norway, and that there was a ‘traveler’s guide to Norway’ brochure hidden carefully in a drawer. He chose not to confront her, perhaps because it wasn’t surprising. Nahid had been begging Faraz to leave the country with her, but he wouldn’t listen. She had been through a lot, and even Faraz knew that putting her through so much anxiety wasn’t right. While he couldn’t just leave because of his position, it was unfair for him to force his wife to stay by his side when she was clearly struggling. Faraz left for work, and he was a little surprised when he was asked to investigate the conflict that took place in Ramin’s warehouse. It was private property, and he wondered why Sepah had to be involved. Faraz soon discovered that the case was way more serious than he’d assumed. Larijani personally asked him to investigate the matter and find out where Eric Peterson was. The new chief didn’t hesitate to state that Faraz had been on thin ice since Mohammadi’s death, and the only way he could prove his loyalty to the regime was by finding Peterson. Faraz, who was dedicated to the regime, figured this was the perfect opportunity for him. He wouldn’t have to run away from the country, and he could live by his principles. He studied the scene of the crime and deduced that there was a sniper as well, and he recovered a cartridge case from the position he believed the sniper was stationed in, and that confirmed his suspicion. He didn’t trust Ramin, and he had his men tap Ramin’s phone.

Faraz decided to follow Ramin, and he was surprised to see a man with a huge carpet loitering in the area. He knew this was way too odd to be taken lightly. So, he went through the items he found in the man’s van, and as soon as he figured out that he was working for Mossad, he locked the man inside the building he’d entered. Tamar received a text from the Owl suggesting that they follow Ramin, and that he was waiting for her outside. Tamar got into the van without even looking at who was in the driver’s seat, and the moment she turned, she found Faraz there instead of the Owl, and he was holding a gun. He warned her that if she touched the door, he would shoot her. Faraz had come to the conclusion that Mossad had abducted Peterson, but he’ll soon find out the story is far more complicated. Once again, Faraz and Tamar have crossed paths, but this time, will Faraz outwit the Mossad agent? Let’s wait and watch.

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