Niv Sultan Interview: Tehran (2024)

Tehran, now on Apple TV+, is far from your average espionage thriller. Its first season already aired on Israeli television over the summer and was met wide acclaim for its even depiction of the Israeli-Iranian conflict before making its way to international audiences.

The story follows Mossad agent Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan) as she reconnects with her Iranian roots after hiding out in enemy territory during a failed special mission – all while being hunted by the Revolutionary Guards.

Sultan spoke with Screen Rant about the pride she felt in depicted such a complicated female heroine, how she had to study Farsi for the role, and what it was like to film in Athens.

Your character is incredibly unique, a Mossad agent and hacker who operates in international espionage. Can you talk to me about the traits that make Tamar special to you?

Niv Sultan: Before everything, she's a woman. I think we don't usually see women holding high leadership, military or security positions on screen, and I'm very proud of it. And second, I think that Tamar is a real person. She's not another superhero Mossad agent saving the world, if you know what I'm saying. She carries so many colors in her, and she has so many layers and so much depth. She's so strong, physically and emotionally, and she going through an amazing and fascinating and complicated journey. I think these are the things that make her so special for me.

An interesting subplot is Tamar reconnecting with her Iranian roots and family. Can you talk to me about that added layer of depth and realism, and how it ultimately affects the story?

Niv Sultan: Yeah, absolutely. Tamar is sent to a special mission n Tehran, because of her Iranian background, and when she gets there, things go wrong. And she's stuck behind enemy lines, which is interesting, because those enemy lines, in fact, are her true roots. This is her true country of origin, so this whole complicated situation forces her to face her double identity for the first time of her life. Meeting her aunt reminds her of her childhood and everything. I think this is her true conflict in the show.

I read that you studied Farsi and Krav Maga for the role. Can you talk to me about preparation and how it helped you in the shoot?

Niv Sultan: I think for 4 or 5 months, twice a week, I took practice lessons with an amazing teacher. It was very, very challenging because of the fact that the pronunciation of Farsi has nothing to do with Hebrew or Arabic. I really had to change my mouth in order to speak Farsi.

I also had to take some Krav Maga lessons, which was so, so fun. Honestly, it was so fun. It really gave me confidence.

Shaun Toub is a legend in Hollywood circles. Can you talk to me about how he challenged you and what you may have learned from him while shooting?

Niv Sultan: I have to say, when I first heard that Shaun and Navid [Negahban] were both in the show, I was a bit scared. They're Hollywood actors, and I had no idea how it was going to be. When I first met them, it was a big dinner for the crew members, and they just hugged me. Shaun hugged me, and also Navid, but they were so warm and supportive.

Shaun helped me with my Farsi accent so much; he really gave me so many tips and he was so professional and nice and pleasant on set. I could really watch and learn.

This is truly an international show, with most of the actors playing Iranian characters actually being from Iran. How much does that authenticity benefit the show?

Niv Sultan: You know, I've never been to Iran, and I couldn't speak for them - because I've never been there. But, in my experience, the fact that I got to work with Iranian actors, and the fact that I get to know them and to feel their love for their country and their homesickness, and to hear their stories - it really got me into the story. I don't know if it's the details, but it really got me into their world and their stories. I got really emotionally attached to this whole project, much more than I expected.

Moshe Zonder's writing is brilliant in this. Can you talk to me about the collaboration process, and how he helped you develop and inform your character?

Niv Sultan: Yeah, Moshe is such an amazing, amazing writer. I think that when working together, we focus on the humanity of everyone. Tamar and obviously of the rest of the character - but in my process, we worked and really focused on her humanity and not leading the audience to choose my side or the other side. Not leading the audience to choose the Iranian side or the Israeli side; it isn't about that. We are all complex characters, and this is the beauty of Moshe's writing.

What kind of research did you into the politics of Iran and the area? What were you most excited for audiences to discover about everything you guys were doing?

Niv Sultan: I guess that this is the first time that we were showing the different side of Iran; the beauty of Iran and the magic of Iran. Not just, again and again, the conflict and the political side. It's the fact that we're showing the vibrant culture and way of dressing in the streets, the food and the young people who want to live freely. These are things that haven't really been explored onscreen before, and I'm really proud to learn about it on my own and to show it to audiences.

What did you want to bring to the role of Tamar that may have not necessarily been on the page?

Niv Sultan: I really focused on not being a cliche. I remember during the shooting, I was always asking, "Do I look like a real person, or do I look like a robot? Do I look like a Mossad agent, or do I look like a real person?" So, I really focused on that.

How did the traditions and laws of Iran heighten the tension of the story?

Niv Sultan: That's a complicated question for me, because what I know is the same as you know, I think. It's a fictional portrayal. Moshe wrote things, and I'm not quite sure what is realistic and what's not.

You shot in Athens as a substitute for Tehran. How effective was Athens as a shooting location?

Niv Sultan: We shot in so many locations in Athens, and she has so many landscapes. Every neighborhood looks different. The production did an amazing job, because they really succeed in recreating Iran in every different location that we had.

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Tehran is now streaming on Apple TV+.