Betrayal ending explained: What was going on with Mehreen?

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*Warning – contains full spoilers for all four episodes of Betrayal.*

The entire six-part series of the new spy thriller, Betrayal, is now streaming on ITVX. The show centers around John (Shaun Evans), an MI5 agent who becomes the subject of an investigation after a meeting he attended resulted in a death – a meeting he didn’t report following procedure.

John starts to believe a terrorist attack will happen in Britain, orchestrated by a radical group within the Iranian government. At the same time, he’s struggling to save his failing marriage to Claire (Romola Garai).

The series also explores the mystery surrounding Mehreen (Zahra Ahmadi), an MI6 agent who steps in to cover John’s work while he’s being investigated. A surprising reveal at the end of episode two makes both John and the audience wonder where her true allegiance lies.

What secrets about Mehreen are uncovered, and how do things ultimately conclude for John, his colleagues at MI5, and his wife, Claire?

Read on for everything you need to know about the ending of Betrayal on ITV.

Betrayal ending explained: What was going on with Mehreen?

Although it appeared Mehreen was working against her country by collaborating with Iran, she was secretly still an MI6 agent. This operation was conducted without the knowledge of MI5.

She collaborated with General Qasem Asadi, a secret source of information. Their scheme involved him pretending to carry out a nerve agent attack at a public event, but the device was designed to fail at the last second.

John initially thought the event involved Iranian activist Fatemah Feyzi giving a speech at a university, but he later found out that wasn’t right. He still believed an attack was planned, but he realized it would happen somewhere else.

When Asadi suggested his family was facing difficulties, Mehreen discovered they had been missing in Iran for five days, revealing that Asadi’s cover had been blown.

Asadi kidnapped John’s wife, Claire, and their babysitter, Marta, and demanded John come to their location by himself. While they were all being held at gunpoint, Mehreen arrived and saved them.

She revealed Asadi’s true identity, leading him to kill Hossein, another Iranian operative involved in the scheme. Hossein was unaware that Asadi was secretly working with MI6.

Things took a seriously dark turn when Asadi pulled a gun on Claire and confessed the whole operation was planned for a Nowruz celebration – that’s the Iranian New Year – happening at the South Manchester Persian Centre in Stockport. It was a chilling moment, realizing the attack was targeting a cultural event and a specific community gathering.

After gathering the necessary intelligence, Mehreen immediately shot and killed Asadi, which saved Claire’s life.

Did John foil the plot?

He successfully stopped the plot. John and his team alerted MI5 and the police, who then dispatched an armed unit to intercept Craig Beeston, Karlson Griffiths, and their accomplices.

Police quickly cleared the building and neutralized the attackers, discovering an active nerve agent. A hazardous materials team then secured the device to prevent further danger.

Simone later shared that the Prime Minister had been notified and discussions took place with the President of Iran. It was reported that the President was working to oppose hardliners within his government and had formulated a plan by the end of the day.

She also revealed that Asadi’s family had left Tehran and were on their way to the UK via Germany.

Simone stated that John would continue working on sensitive cases, but he’d need to complete updated training on procedures and company standards.

Mehreen shared that she’d be remaining with the department. MI6 wouldn’t take her back after the situation with Asadi. She also suggested she killed Asadi not only to protect Claire, but because his continued existence would have damaged the security services’ standing.

What happened between John and Claire?

At the beginning of the season, John and Claire seemed headed for a permanent split. John consistently prioritizing work over family, combined with both of their infidelities – his past affair and her recent one with Martin – made reconciliation seem impossible. John nearly cheated with Mehreen, but ultimately changed his mind.

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As the season finished, John finally opened up to Claire, letting her know they’d successfully prevented the attack. He also admitted that finding out about her relationship with Martin helped him understand how his actions had affected her over the years.

Claire admitted she wasn’t sure what the future held for them, but she felt like she finally understood him.

Towards the end of the season, John and Claire returned to couples therapy. The therapist asked them how they were doing and what had been happening in their lives. They exchanged a hesitant look, clearly struggling to find the right words.

Betrayal is available to stream in full on ITVX.

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Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, a major international TV production company. He has a BA degree in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-02-09 16:11