“Tehran” Season 3 Sneak Peek Teases a Sharper, More Dangerous Game — and Hugh Laurie Is Ready to Stir the Pot

Apple TV has dropped a sneak peek clip from the season three premiere of Tehran, and if the International Emmy-winning espionage thriller ever needed a reminder of why it’s one of the platform’s most gripping global dramas, this is it. The series returns January 9, 2026, and the early footage makes one thing clear: Tehran isn’t slowing down, it’s doubling down.

The sneak peek from Episode 301, titled “Fightback,” finds Tamar Rabinyan (Niv Sultan) in familiar territory: isolated, hunted, and forced to think three steps ahead just to stay alive. After the chaos and emotional fallout of season two, Tamar is now under pressure not just from her enemies, but from her own side. The clip leans heavily into that tension, teasing a season built on fractured alliances, uneasy trust, and the constant question of who’s actually pulling the strings.

Visually, Tehran remains as sharp and moody as ever. The series has always excelled at making paranoia feel personal, and the sneak peek continues that tradition with tightly wound scenes that emphasize silence, glances, and the ever-present sense that someone is watching. It’s not flashy spy TV, it’s the slow-burn kind that gets under your skin and stays there.

One of the biggest talking points heading into season three is the arrival of Hugh Laurie, and while the sneak peek doesn’t overplay his presence, it smartly hints at the disruption he’s about to cause. Laurie joins the cast as Eric Peterson, a South African nuclear inspector, and even in brief moments, his energy feels like a wild card. Tehran has never been short on strong performances, but adding Laurie to the mix suggests a season that’s ready to complicate its power dynamics in a big way.

Returning cast members Shaun Toub and Shila Ommi also loom large over the season’s setup, with Faraz and Nahid clearly facing choices that won’t come without consequences. The clip doesn’t give away answers, Tehran never does but it asks the right questions.

If the sneak peek is any indication, season three of Tehran is shaping up to be leaner, meaner, and emotionally riskier than before. With an eight-episode run, weekly releases, and a fourth season already in the works, Apple TV knows it has something special here. For fans of smart, nerve-fraying espionage drama, Tehran looks ready to remind everyone why it’s still one of the most compelling spy series on television.