Episode 7 of Tehran season 3 begins with Ramin holding Tamar at gunpoint. However, there's a surprising twist. It turns out that he's actually working with the CIA, making Peterson everyone's problem. The key to unlocking his location lies with Shaparak.
Langley has planted an undetectable zero-day malware virus on the circuit board of the firing set he smuggled in. This explains why the parts have been compromised. When installed in a live bomb, it will destroy it. Although the component is good enough to fool the Iranians, for an expert like Peterson, he's not so easily deceived. This is why he was able to track down the sabotage and why they're in such a difficult situation now.
The only solution is for Tamar to plant a Trojan in the firing set using Shaparak's computer. She'll also use a suppression code to hide it from Peterson. Ramin drives her to the base, explaining that he'll work with anyone to stop the regime.
At the IRGC Counter Intelligence Headquarters, Larijani is briefed about the sabotage by Faraz. He's determined to see this through and agrees to give Faraz whatever he needs. Interestingly, the Owl has also disobeyed orders from Yulia by keeping Tamar alive. He retorts that this is his last job. It's clear by this point just how deep the ties between him and Tamar go.
Nahid rings Behrouz and tells him she has what he wants, but he'll need to pick her up. He does just that and eventually drives through the park, where the traffic is awful. This is all part of Nahid's plan, as she slips away undetected. She grabs a burner from underneath one of the shrines, detailing her next location.
This happens to be the women's shelter, where Tamar has sorted out her passports and a stack of cash for a new life. This would allow her to get out and make it to Norway.
At the Andisheh Research Institute, Ramin and Tamar stand outside, determined to infiltrate the premises. As Ramin detonates an explosion within the building, chaos ensues, providing them with the perfect opportunity to slip inside and evade the authorities. They work their way through the floors, with time running thin and urgency high.
Tamar manages to hack into the system and submits an access request. This request is routed to Eric Peterson, who is poring over files in an attempt to identify the fault in the firing mechanism. When the call reaches Shaparak's phone, the Owl forces her to play along. Surprisingly, she complies, granting Tamar and Ramin access to the system. They manage to avoid a firefight but face another challenge: the virus is gone, and they're struggling to locate the original file.
Peterson had actually anticipated this scenario and planned accordingly. He suspected that such a move might be made, so he sent the security team away to lure them into logging in and finding the file for him. This means they've inadvertently led Peterson straight to the malware.
Armed guards surround Shaparak's location, and they take out the Owl with a swift shot to the shoulder. Shaparak then grabs his gun and reveals that she orchestrated this coup. The code-word she gave was not a sign of everything being okay but rather that everything was "fucked," giving Peterson reason to monitor Tamar and Ramin's movements.
The Owl has heard enough and shoots her in the head. Unfortunately, everything is unraveling, especially as Tamar and Ramin find themselves surrounded in the building by the tactical unit. Thankfully, they're rescued by one of Ramin's associates and hastily make their escape before things can escalate.
Tamar calls the Owl, who explains that it's the end for him. "This is what I deserve," he says, admitting that he made the bomb that killed Milad. As the tactical team closes in on him, he makes one last stand. He tells her she's on her own and goes out like a true badass.
Tamar and Ramin are also reaching the end of their journey, but time is of the essence, especially with Peterson closing in on his nuclear warhead.
