There is a political meme in Iran that shows the Queen being punched in the face

As Iran prepares for a parliamentary election that will cause waves in the entire region, political parties are using an app to campaign.

A messaging application called Telegram - much like WhatsApp - not only survived the heavy restrictions placed on social media, but is now one of the most prolifically used apps in Iran.

To that end, conservative and reformist campaigners are using images of prominent political figures to try and sway the electorate, as the BBC reports.

Left-wing campaign groups portray hardliners - including cleric Ahmad Khatani - in expressions of distress, and conservatives have been using the Queen and Winston Churchill to disparage the west.

The Churchill meme refers to historical interference from Britain and implies that voting liberal would invite foreign powers to once more hold sway in Iran.

The Queen meme adds salt to the wound by using a Farsi proverb about long life, and implies that support for the reformists is akin to supporting foreign interference.

It seems 'God Save the Queen' conservatives don't extend to Iran.

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