The Apple TV+ spy thriller 'Tehran' was primarily filmed in Athens, Greece, doubling as the Iranian capital. Despite its intense Tehran storyline following a Mossad agent's undercover mission, production avoided Iran due to geopolitical tensions and safety issues.

Primary Filming Location

Athens served as the main stand-in for Tehran across all seasons. The crew transformed the Greek city's streets, markets, and architecture through clever set design—coined "Tehranisation"—making it unrecognizable as anything but Iran. This approach mirrors how Toronto often poses as New York in Hollywood productions, blending urban grit with subtle modifications like signage and props.

Why Not Iran?

Filming in Tehran itself was never feasible for the Israeli series amid real- world hostilities. Instead, Greece offered accessible locations with similar Mediterranean vibes, souks, and dense neighborhoods. IMDb confirms Athens as the core site, listed explicitly as "doubling for Tehran," with no substantial Iran shoots.

Specific Sites and Seasons

  • Athens Highlights : Key scenes unfolded in bustling areas around coordinates 37.984928° N, 23.719872° E, capturing chases and espionage amid "Tehranized" backdrops.
  • Seasonal Notes : Production wrapped principal photography starting October 2019, with additional shoots through August 2021; later seasons stuck to Greece.
  • Minor Mentions : Tehran, Iran (35.683971° N, 51.377617° E) appears in credits or maps but not as a filming spot.

Location| Role in Show| Coordinates| Source [cite]
---|---|---|---
Athens, Greece| Primary (as Tehran)| 37.984928, 23.719872| 35
Tehran, Iran| Story Setting Only| 35.683971, 51.377617| 3

Production Insights

Directed by Daniel Syrkin and created by Moshe Zonder, the series drew from Israeli-Iranian tensions for authenticity without on-location risks. As of early 2026, no shifts to actual Iran filming have been reported, keeping Greece central even post-Apple TV+ global rollout in 2020.

TL;DR: 'Tehran' was filmed entirely in Athens, Greece—not Iran—for practical and security reasons.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.