If I was an Iranian trying to flee a regime change, I’d probably pick the western-hostile Venezuela over the NATO friendly Kosovo.

I'll have to read up, the few folks I met from there weren't rude to me.

(I'm a big fan of personal diplomacy, in the sense I used to loudly joke I might one day become a test case for the Logan Act :-))

I don't believe a thing you've said

>I don't believe a thing you've said

Have we met in real life? I have witnesses.

Don't question my integrity.

I'm not asking you for a letter of recommendation, your opinions are irrelevant.

Kosovo-Albanians (and Ukrainians) are probably the most pro-American people in the world right now.

Just because Kosovo is Muslim-majority does not mean they're friendly to the Iranian regime.

Wagner just opened an office in Serbia.

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/russian-mercenary-group-wagn...

I'm sorry, I wasn't saying they wanted them. I was just saying it's weird to me if someone claims to want an Islamic Republic to move to a secular place rather than, say, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, or the UAE.

Sorry -- I didn't mean to insult folks from Kosovo or Albania.

(I'm not a nationalist, I just utilize the existing neoliberal laws and norms to move us to something more respectful of personal autonomy while respecting basic human rights, but I've noticed how lack of shared language can cause issues when everything else is put aside)

That sort of hypocrisy is pretty common for totalitarian regimes regardless of religious affiliation, the children of their high ranking leaders often spend most of their life enjoying the luxuries of liberal societies.

That said, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are especially problematic for Iranian leaders because Iran's official sect of Islam is opposed to that of those countries.

>That said, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE are especially problematic for Iranian leaders because Iran's official sect of Islam is opposed to that of those countries.

Ah yes, I keep forgetting about the whole Sunni/Shia (sp?) thing. (One of the many fun things I've mostly discussed verbally)

A secular place won't execute them on the spot, but their sworn enemies for 1500 years would most probably do.

> rather than, say, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, or the UAE

All of these are bitter enemies of the Iranian government.

Venezuela gives more cover. Larger, gives less shits. There are African options too.

>African options

Libya? Egypt? Be specific. Let's plan where they will go and prepare for their arrival.

Egypt has strong a military relationship with Saudi and the US so a no-go

Libya's governments have strong military relationships with Turkey and/or the US+France so a no-go

If they try to take asylum somewhere outside Iran it would probably be Malaysia (lots of the Iranian elite send their children to the British+Australian university campuses there plus it's basically First World) or Qatar (similar reason as Malaysia but also American universities)

I don't think Malaysia would -they're not quite aligned with Western nations, but also they don't like getting in trouble. But maybe Brunei or even Indonesia. Indonesia probably doesn't care as long as you stay out in some remote island to yourself.

The current Iranian government has strong relations with Malaysia - Iranian oil is often exported on tankers with Malaysian flags[0] and Malaysian politicians often lean pro-Iran[1][2] due to anti-imperialism, a Persiophilic form of Sunni Islam due to diffusion via South Asia, and business ties.

Indonesia's elite tend to be much more West dependent than Malaysia (and anecdotally, USC is the main school Indonesian elites send their children to, compared to British and Singaporean unis for Bumiputra Malaysians)

[0] - https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Ira...

[1] - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-iraq-security-malaysia/mu...

[2] - https://rusi.org/publication/tension-asia-pacific-iranian-ma...

Thanks, I was unaware of those ties. That makes sense. Culturally it's probably closer to Iran than Venezuela is, and they're probably inquiring within over there (just not reported). If I were a baddie, I sure would not put all my eggs in one basket.

The one "advantage" Maduro has is he's a strongman's strongman and a socialist caudillow.

Venezuela makes sense for the top leaders because they would worry more so about extradition. Malaysia makes sense for the rest of the party apparatus.

I wouldn't be surprised if a number of the pro-regime Imams end up moving to India though - that was Khomeini's backup to Paris, is the 2nd largest Shia country in the world, and historically was the goto country of refuge for religious Iranian.

LoL, I don't think Iranians officials want to apply asylum in there anywhere near Albania, the quota is already taken by Mojahedin-e-Khalq (MEK) (hint: terrorists org/cult)

I know what Mojahedin-e-Khalq is.

(I'm childfree in the "listens to a lot of crystal method" sense, but you run into all sorts.)