Dana Eden, Co-Creator of Tehran, Found Dead in Athens

Israel’s television world is mourning the sudden loss of Dana Eden, the acclaimed producer and co-creator of the hit espionage drama Tehran, who was found dead in her Athens hotel room while working on the show’s fourth season. She was 52.

Greek media outlets reported that Eden had been staying at the hotel since early February and that her brother discovered her body. Authorities are examining the circumstances of her death. Reports indicated bruising and medication found at the scene, and Greek officials are investigating the possibility of suicide. Her production company emphasized that rumors suggesting nationalist or criminal involvement are unfounded.

The Israeli Embassy in Athens confirmed it is assisting Eden’s family during this difficult time.

Eden was a towering figure in Israel’s creative industry. In 2007, she co-founded Donna and Shula Productions with Shula Spiegel, building a company that would go on to shape some of Israel’s most compelling television dramas.

Her most internationally recognized work was Tehran, the gripping espionage series centered on a Mossad agent portrayed by Niv Sultan. The show, broadcast in Israel on KAN 11 and internationally on Apple TV+, won the International Emmy Award for Best Drama in 2021 and has become one of Israel’s most successful global cultural exports. The third season, featuring Hugh Laurie, recently ranked among Apple TV+’s top 10 series worldwide.

Filmed largely in Athens, which serves as a stand-in for Tehran, the series showcased Israel’s storytelling strength on the world stage. Through suspenseful drama and layered characters, Tehran offered global audiences a window into the complexities of intelligence, identity, and moral courage.

Donna and Shula Productions said it was “shocked and saddened by the untimely passing of our beloved friend and partner, Dana Eden,” describing her as a creative force with more than three decades in television. KAN, Israel’s public broadcaster, called her “among the senior figures in the Israeli television industry,” noting her leadership in some of its most influential productions.

Eden began her career in 1998 and went on to produce a range of acclaimed programs, including Saving the Wildlife, She Has It, Magpie, and Shakshouka. Colleagues describe her as passionate, driven, and deeply committed to elevating Israeli storytelling to global audiences.

Her passing is a profound loss not only to her family and friends, but to Israel’s vibrant cultural landscape. Through her work, Eden helped place Israeli television firmly on the international map, proving that stories born in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv can resonate from Europe to America and beyond.

May her memory be a blessing.

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