Iran Blocks Restaurant Over ‘Bibi Cutlet’ Post

Iranian authorities blocked a Tehran restaurant’s Instagram account after a seemingly ordinary Bibi cutlet post gained political meaning. Dastpokht-e Bibi, or “Bibi’s Cooking,” posted, “Nothing beats Bibi’s cutlet.” The story also featured Moein’s song “Bibi Gol.” Iranian judicial authorities then accused the account of “publishing criminal content” and shut it down.

In Persian, “Bibi” traditionally serves as a respectful term for a woman, while “gol” means flower. However, “Bibi” is also Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s familiar nickname. Iran International reported that regime opponents increasingly use the phrase “Bibi Gol” in memes and political humor. “Cutlet” has also become a mocking reference to senior regime figures killed in military strikes.

Proverbs 29:2 says, “When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.” A confident government should not fear a restaurant joke or an old pop song. Iran’s response instead shows how repression can turn ordinary language into political resistance.

Bibi Cutlet Becomes Political Speech

The restaurant did not openly endorse Netanyahu or call for political action. Before authorities closed its account, the business said unwanted political attention had overwhelmed its page. It also asked users not to turn the restaurant into a joke. Still, authorities treated the combination of “Bibi,” “cutlet” and “Bibi Gol” as grounds for intervention.

Iran has shown similar sensitivity before. In 2023, authorities arrested prominent chef Navab Ebrahimi after he posted a cutlet recipe near Qasem Soleimani’s death anniversary. Opponents of the regime had already adopted cutlet imagery to mock the former Quds Force commander. A U.S. drone strike killed Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020.

The latest Bibi cutlet controversy therefore reaches beyond one restaurant. Iranian opposition movements often use humor because the government tightly controls direct political speech. Ordinary words, songs and food can become symbols that the state cannot easily suppress.

Iranian People and the Regime Are Not the Same

The episode also highlights an important distinction during the current conflict. Opposition to the Islamic Republic should never become hostility toward the Iranian people. Millions of Iranians hold views that differ sharply from those of the regime, and their politics cannot fit into one category.

Some Iranians have used Netanyahu’s nickname and other coded references to ridicule their rulers. Others oppose both the Islamic Republic and foreign military action. Those positions can exist at the same time. What matters is recognizing that Tehran’s rulers do not automatically speak for every Iranian citizen.

That distinction also appeared in “Iranians After 9/11: Candlelight Against Terror.” After the September 11 attacks, thousands of Iranians publicly mourned American victims. Their solidarity showed that decades of government hostility toward Washington did not erase ordinary human sympathy.

The same principle applies now. Israel and the United States confront the Islamic Republic, its Revolutionary Guards and its network of armed proxies. They should not confuse those institutions with the Iranian people living under them.

Humor Exposes the Regime’s Fear

For Washington, the cutlet symbolism carries an unusual historical connection. Iranian opponents adopted it after President Donald Trump ordered the strike that killed Soleimani. Years later, the term still provokes enough anxiety for authorities to target businesses associated with it.

Israel has now entered the same political language. Some anti-regime voices have turned “Bibi Gol” into an affectionate or mocking reference to Netanyahu after Israeli strikes killed senior Iranian officials. That does not mean all Iranians support Israel or Netanyahu. It does show how opposition movements can transform ordinary cultural references into weapons of ridicule.

The United States and Israel share a covenantal belief that freedom carries responsibility before God. Both traditions value human dignity, the defense of innocent life and resistance to tyranny. Those principles require a clear distinction between an oppressive government and the people it rules.

The Bibi cutlet controversy is revealing because of how small it appears. A restaurant story, a plate of food and a pop song should not threaten a powerful state. When they do, they reveal a regime that increasingly fears what its own citizens may say, sing or laugh about.

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