A dam in Iraq is taken by ISIL forces who threaten to blow the structure and flood the valley, killing thousands if one of their leaders and his followers aren't released from prison. Elizabeth and Dalton try to convince the Iraqi president to agree to the demands but he refuses, opting instead to try and retake the dam. Elizabeth reaches out to the Turkish president because Turkey has their own dam further up the Tigris. If Turkey stops the flow of water into Iraq, there won't be any water there for the terrorists to flood the valley. But the Turkish president is still upset about the LGBTQ refugees escaping through his country and about rumors of election observers coming to Turkey for the upcoming election. He refuses to help the Iraqis unless the American's can guarantee that the observers will stay away from his country, ignoring the fact the observers would be sent by the EU. Elizabeth later explains that what he's really hoping for is for the US to stop interfering in the ethnic cleansing of Kurds in Syria. The team at State starts brainstorming other incentives for the Turkish president, but there's an unfortunately timed coup, and they can't reach anybody at the embassy or in Ankara. While the coup is underway, Turkish intelligence (loyal to the president) becomes very suspicious of all other government officials. Elizabeth wants to talk privately with the Turkish ambassador, but needs a way to get him away from the attache/spy who is watching him. Blake and the head of protocol devise a plan, intercepting the spy while the ambassador heads to the elevator. Elizabeth gets on on the next floor and appeals to his sense of honor to save the people of Iraq. He manages to get the Turkish dam to stop the flow of water into Iraq and this exposes a forgotten service entrance into the Iraqi dam. Special forces works with Iraqi defense and infiltrates the dam, regaining control of the facility and averting the crisis. The coup comes to an end in Turkey, but the President is extremely paranoid and recalls the ambassador. The CIA believes that he is one of the officials marked for execution. Elizabeth insists on offering him asylum, despite the trouble it will cause with Turkey. They have the ambassador and his family arrested at the airport under a customs violation, and he accepts the offer when it's explained to them. Turkey retaliates against the US by using Russian mercenaries to launch an attack into Syria. But the Syrian forces they tried to take out had US training forces with them, and they were able to call in a US airstrike to eliminate their attackers. Elizabeth gets the news and realizes that the problems in Turkey are going to spill over into a war with Russia. 

Blake is tasked to liase with the protocol office about the Iftar dinner Elizabeth is hosting for the end of Ramadan. He's well suited to the position, but realizes that it's not want he wants to be doing. 

Stevie is tasked with finding relaxing activities for Russell after his wife gives him an ultimatum, but it's Henry he ends up turning to for advice.