From 'Cyber Stooge' to 'Jew Worshiper': What Iranians Call Each Other

Here’s what pro- and anti-regime Iranians call each other—and what those insults really mean. Just in case you wanted to know. (U.S. strikes in Iran, Part 2a)

As I mentioned in Part 2, when Zelig told me that Iranian pro-regimers call anti-regimers "regime overthrowers," it sounded to me like a simple statement of what they want to do rather than a slur. Zelig was emphatic that it was, in fact, an insult.

Translating slang or slurs into another language often fails to capture the nuance and emotional tone they carry in their native tongue. Even fluent speakers sometimes struggle to explain them. So, I turned to AI to help translate and explain the terms Zelig told me pro- and anti-regimers use to insult one another.

I found one in particular rather amusing. I wonder if you can guess which one that is.

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Slurs Thrown at Pro-Regimers

1. مزدوران سایبری (Mozdooran-e Saiberi)

Translation: Cyber Mercenaries or Cyber Stooges
Explanation: Refers to individuals paid by the regime to conduct online propaganda, spread disinformation, harass opponents, or manipulate public opinion.
Context: Used by anti-regime Iranians to delegitimise pro-regime actors as hired guns lacking authentic ideological conviction.

2. ساندیس خورها (Sandis khorha)

Translation: Sandis-drinkers
Explanation: Refers to sycophants or uncritical regime supporters. "Sandis" is a brand of boxed juice often distributed at regime-sponsored rallies and religious ceremonies.
Context: Implies that such people are easily bought with superficial rewards—like a free juice box. It mocks them as cheap and thoughtless.

3. ارزشی (Arzeshi)

Translation: Valuable (literal); regime supporters apply this to themselves to imply that they are principled or ideologically pure
Explanation:

• Used by regime supporters to describe loyalists who uphold Islamic and revolutionary values.

• Used sarcastically by critics to mock dogmatic hardliners and regime beneficiaries. Carries connotations of hypocrisy or fanaticism.

UPDATE: Another Iranian new friend added this: Arzeshi refers to those following the "values of Imam Khomeini" (the founder of IR). You'll hear "values of Imam" every 5 minutes on state TV and officials' speeches 😂

Slurs Thrown at Anti-Regimers

1. وطن فروش (Vatan Foroush)

Translation: Homeland seller or traitor to the nation
Explanation: A severe accusation implying betrayal of Iran to foreign powers.
Context: Used by regime supporters to condemn dissidents, especially those who seek foreign alliances or attention, implying that they are “selling out” Iran’s interests to foreign powers. Akin to calling someone a “turncoat” or “collaborator” who sacrifices national sovereignty for personal gain.

2. برانداز (Barandaz)

Translation: Overthrower
Explanation:

• Used by the regime to brand opponents as dangerous, destabilising, or foreign-backed.

• Embraced by the opposition as a self-identifier—it represents a revolutionary stance.

Note: A regime supporter uses this term to insult political opponents, but the opposition may wear it with pride. To me, it still feels more like a descriptor than a true slur—hence my initial reaction.

3. سلطنت‌طلب (Saltanat Talab)

Translation: Monarchy seeker or royalist
Explanation: Refers to those who support restoring the Pahlavi monarchy that was overthrown in the 1979 revolution.
Context: While often used neutrally or factually, it can be used dismissively by some leftists or Islamist factions.

Note: This doesn’t strike me as a slur, just a statement of political orientation. But, then, I’m not an Iranian dissident; I’m not Iranian at all.

4. خائن (Kha’en)

Translation: Traitor
Explanation: A powerful term used by both regime supporters and opponents to accuse each other of betraying either Iran or its people.

5. یهودی پرست (Yahoudi Parast)

Translation: Jew-worshiper
Explanation: A highly derogatory and antisemitic slur used by hardliners to smear anyone sympathetic to Israel, Jews, or Western values.
Context: Suggests betrayal of Islamic or Iranian values.

Note: Now we’re getting nasty, eh?

6. صهیونیست (Sahyounist)

Translation: Zionist
Explanation: Used by the regime to demonise Israel and its perceived allies.
Context: This term is very commonly used by the Islamic Republic’s official discourse to refer to Israel, its supporters, and its perceived global influence. It is consistently used in a negative and condemning way, often equating Zionism with racism, imperialism, and aggression.

Note: I have the feeling that Zelig, and others like him, would not be offended by this label.

7. آمریکایی (Amrikai)

Translation: American
Explanation:

• Neutral in casual use when simply referring to the American people.

• Used by the regime as a pejorative implying subservience of their opponents to U.S. interests or serving as an American agent.

• Viewed by the opposition more positively, often associated with democracy and freedom.

Note: This one’s almost cute—you hurl “American” at someone as an insult and they say, “Thank you.”

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Did you guess which slur I found especially funny? (Hint: it’s one of the ones hurled at pro-regimers.)

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Of course, I am generally not content without making sure I have covered the whole range of possibilities.

So, I explored more and found that not all slurs are created equal. Here is one that carries particular ideological weight, shaped by the regime’s history and political paranoia.

A Slur with History: “Monāfeghin” and the Language of Betrayal

منافقین (Monāfeghin) – “Hypocrites”

Literally meaning “hypocrites,” this term is one of the regime’s most politically charged slurs. It originally referred to members of the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MEK) — a revolutionary group that began as a mix of Islamism and Marxism. The MEK helped topple the Shah in 1979 but quickly fell out with Khomeini’s new regime and became its sworn enemy.

The group’s later collaboration with Saddam Hussein during the Iran–Iraq War further damaged its reputation within Iran. The regime used that betrayal to paint the MEK as traitors and terrorists — and Monāfeghin became a catch-all condemnation not just of MEK members, but of anyone perceived as disloyal, oppositional, or ideologically corrupt.

Today, the term is applied far more broadly — to protestors, journalists, exiles, reformists, or critics of the Islamic Republic. It implies not just disagreement, but treason, and is often a pretext for arrest, torture, or execution.

In fact, in a recent court case, judges used this powerful slur when criticizing France for providing refuge for Iranian dissidents.

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For further reference, in case the above are insufficient:

Slurs Used by Anti-Regime Iranians for Regime Loyalists

• جیره‌خوار (Jire-khār) – “Ration-eater”
  Refers to those seen as parroting regime propaganda in exchange for basic benefits or job security.

• پاچه‌خوار (Pāche-khār) – “Bootlicker”
  Someone who fawns over authorities in hopes of favours or protection.

• کاسه‌لیس (Kāse-lis) – “Bowl-licker”
  An even more degrading variant of sycophant — someone without dignity, grovelling for regime approval.

• توتال‌سوز (Total-sooz) – “Bridge-burner”
  A hardliner who is so extreme they even attack moderates or former allies, “burning everything down.”

Slurs Used by Regime Loyalists for Dissidents

• اغتشاش‌گر (Eghteshāsh-gar) – “Rioter”
  Official regime term used to delegitimise protestors and justify crackdowns.

• غرب‌زده (Gharbzadeh) – “West-struck”
  Someone accused of blindly admiring or being corrupted by Western culture and values.

• جاسوس (Jāsus) – “Spy”
  Often used to smear journalists, dual nationals, dissidents, or anyone with foreign ties.

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My friend added: If you're looking for another phrase: فاندی، باندی (Fundy, Bandy). It refers to people, esp in the diaspora, who are not pro regime but profit off the existence of the regime. They create humanitarian orgs and NGOs and get hundreds of thousands from the governments in the countries they are living in without doing anything useful or spending that money for the people.

Hmmm. Does that remind you of anyone you know?

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