‘Tehran’ co-creator Dana Eden found dead in Athens as rumours swirl around hit spy series

Dana Eden, the Emmy-winning co-creator of the Israeli spy thriller Tehran, has been found dead in a hotel room in Athens where the show’s fourth season was being filmed. She was 52.

Greek police said Eden was discovered by her brother late on Sunday and have ruled out foul play, attributing her death to suicide.

Her death comes as filming continues in the Greek capital for the latest season of the Apple TV espionage drama, which has drawn international attention for its depiction of Mossad operations inside Iran.

Within hours of the discovery, authorities launched an official inquiry, taking statements from hotel staff and securing surveillance footage. Police spokesperson Constantina Dimoglidou said initial findings showed no evidence of criminal involvement.

The production company founded by Eden, Donna and Shula Productions, described the loss as “a moment of great sorrow for the family, friends and colleagues”.

After Israeli media reports suggested police were examining a possible Iranian link, the company issued a rare public clarification, stating there was “no criminal or nationalistic-related death” and dismissing circulating rumours as “not true and unfounded”.

Under Greek law, a postmortem examination will be conducted, with findings forming part of the official investigation.

Eden had been in Athens since 4 February overseeing production of Tehran, the internationally acclaimed series starring Niv Sultan as Mossad agent Tamar Rabinyan. The show follows an Iranian-born operative recruited to infiltrate Tehran and disrupt the country’s nuclear programme.

The series, which featured Glenn Close in its second season, has previously drawn criticism from Iranian authorities and praise from Western security officials for its ‘realism’.

Athens has served as the primary filming location since the show’s launch, chosen for its architectural resemblance to the Iranian capital.

Apple TV approved a fourth season of Tehran in December following strong global viewership.