Ayatollah - "Sign of God", now used to refer to high ranking Shia clergy.

Basij -  Iranian regime’s militia specialising in cracking down on dissent.

Baghi - Rebellion against the Islamic State (of which the Iranian regime accuses the MeK/PMOI).

Faqih pl. fugaha - Jurist expert in Islamic teachings A senior ayatollah who uses his clergy studies and understanding of Islam to produce an interpretive  book of Islamic instruction.

Fatwa - Decree in Islamic law. A religious ruling or opinion issued by an Islamic scholar or Supreme Leader (in Iran).

Hadith - The traditions and sayings of Muhammed.

Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca.

Haram -  Forbidden.

Hardliners v Moderates - There are no hardliners v moderates, they are  all the same. Terms used successfully by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to split western views that some parts of the regime might be not be as bad as others, usually to deflect some sanction against the whole of the IRGC. (Eg Rouhani was a so-called moderate, but executions continued, nevertheless.)

Hidden Imam - Muhammad ibn Hasan al-Mahdi is believed by the Shia (not Sunni) Muslims to be the last of the Twelve Imams, the one who will emerge at the end of time to establish peace and justice and redeem Islam. The concept is woven into  a common religious thread of apocalyptic religions, eg Christianity, Judaism, End of the World, Illuminati.

Ijtihad - Jurist's ability to derive the rules of Islamic law from religious sources.
It is the Mojtahid’s exertion of maximum effort in seeking knowledge of the ahkam (Islamic rules of the Shari’ah through interpretation). Only Mojtahid (only Ayatollah who has the book and knowledge can give Ijtihad. Khamenei has no book but uses his power to dictate Islamic rules – according to his fixed view of Islam).

IRGC - Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Jihad - Struggle, which can be struggle against injustice as well as struggle to become a better person in principle, involving spiritual discipline (jihad akbar). Beware: these terms can be misunderstood in English language; they should be read as written here.

Majlis - Iranian parliament.

Moharebeh - “Enmity against God", punishable by death. In Iran anyone perceived to be against the regime is considered Mohareb as those in the regime consider themselves representatives of God.

Mojahedin - Expressions vary, but mostly an abbreviation for the Mojahedin-e Khalq (MeK) - Islamic revolutionary organisation founded in in Iran the mid-1960s by Mohammad Hanifnejhad, Saeed Mohsen and Ali-Asghar Badizadegan.

Mojahedin (plural of Mojahed) - those who believe in jihad. Members of the MEK/PMOI believe both in struggle to become better personally (jihad akbar), as well as struggle for freedom, equality and a democratic society in  Iran.

Monafegh(in) -  Hypocrite(s); refers to MeK/PMOI when used by the regime as a tool of demonisation against the PMOI.

Mullah - Term for Muslim clergy.

National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) - Iranian democratic opposition comprising political, religious, ethnic groups; activists; and others. It includes members of the MeK/PMOI, of whom  over 50% are women; its President-Elect  is Mrs Maryam Rajavi.

PMOI - People’s Mojahedin of Iran (English version) -  interchangeable with Mojahedin-e Khalq (Farsi version).

Principalists - What the people known as hardliners call themselves.

Sharia - Islamic law.

Shia - Islamists who believe in the Twelve Imams and Imam Ali as the successor of the Prophet Muhammad.

Shura (also Shoora) - Council. Shura-e Nigahban - Council of Guardians, established in 1980 as a constitutional body which reviews/vetoes on religious grounds.

Sunni - Sunni Muslims believe that Abu-Bakr, the Prophet’s closest companion and advisor should be regarded as his successor. They favour appointing from those most capable for the role rather than from a hereditary class of spiritual leaders.

Sunni and Shia Muslims share the same holy book, the Qu’ran and most basic tenets of the faith. There may be some variations in practice.

Ulama - High ranking clergy pl Ulema – body of religious scholars with specialist knowledge of Islamic sacred law and theology -Assembly of Experts.

Umma - Islamic community.

Velayat-e Faqih - Jurist's authority to rule on behalf of the Hidden Imam (see above), meaning that all political and religious authority resides with the Shia clergy, but they must nevertheless defer to the Supreme Leader.