Iran's leadership is negotiating with the Kremlin about escaping to Russia (to Ukraine's Yanukovych and Syria's Assad?) — media

NAnews — Israel News publishes an overview of alarming reports coming from Tehran. According to Iran International, citing informed sources, part of Iran’s leadership, including figures close to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, is holding secret negotiations with the Kremlin regarding evacuation plans in case of escalating instability — especially amid Israeli airstrikes. Iran International is an independent Persian-language TV channel broadcasting from London since 2017. It is known for its sharp criticism of the Iranian regime and often publishes insider information. It is widely used by Western media and analysts as a reliable source on Iran. The Iranian government considers it hostile and links it to opposition circles. Iranian official Ali Asghar Hejazi reportedly initiated covert talks with Kremlin representatives about possible evacuation to Russia should the domestic situation worsen due to Israeli strikes. According to the publication, Hejazi, who serves as deputy chief of the Supreme Leader’s office, received personal guarantees from a Russian official in Moscow. If unrest deepens in Iran, the Kremlin will arrange a safe exit route for him and his family. Sources claim that similar arrangements have been made with other Iranian officials. Some, as Iran International reports, have already finalized their own evacuation routes. Iranian leadership negotiates escape to Russia (joining Yanukovych and Assad?) — NAnews, Israel News, June 16, 2025 The center of these talks is Ali Asghar Hejazi, deputy head of the Supreme Leader’s office. According to sources: - he received personal guarantees from a Kremlin representative; - evacuation routes and family escort plans are in place; - similar agreements are being discussed with other regime figures. “Iran’s top leadership is already packing their bags,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said earlier, hinting at panic in Tehran. Precedent #1: Assad has already fled — and the Kremlin sheltered him In December 2024, after Israeli strikes and rebel advances, Bashar al-Assad and his family were evacuated to Russia. According to Reuters, The Guardian, and others: - Assad was extracted from the Khmeimim airbase; - he traveled aboard an Il‑76 military aircraft with no transponder; - he arrived in Moscow and has since been under Kremlin protection; - he publicly stated “this is not an escape,” but he transferred powers and never returned to Damascus. This episode was a clear demonstration of Moscow’s willingness to protect its allies, even when their regimes collapse. Precedent #2: Yanukovych — the Kremlin’s first “political evacuation” In February 2014, after protesters were killed during the Maidan uprising, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych fled the country. - He traveled through Kharkiv and Crimea and was extracted by Russian special services to Rostov-on-Don. - The Kremlin provided him with security, a residence, and political support. - Yanukovych became a symbol of Kremlin interference in Ukraine, later used in propaganda. This case was the first example of the Kremlin using “asylum” as a tool for geopolitical operations and legitimizing aggression. Table: The Kremlin as a safe haven for collapsing regimes Leader Country Year Mechanism Current Status Ali Hejazi and Iranian elite Iran 2025 (planned) Negotiations, Kremlin guarantees Preparing evacuation Bashar al-Assad Syria 2024 Evacuation via Khmeimim to Moscow In Moscow Viktor Yanukovych Ukraine 2014 Evacuation through Crimea, FSB protection In Rostov-on-Don Why this matters for Israel and Ukraine NAnews highlights that Russia doesn’t just offer refuge — it turns fugitive leaders into instruments of influence and pressure: - Assad collaborated with Iran and gave ground to Hezbollah and the IRGC; - Yanukovych became a propaganda tool to justify war in Ukraine; - Iran today is the main supplier of kamikaze drones striking Israeli and Ukrainian cities. These actions threaten Jews in both Israel and Ukraine — both targeted by the same regimes now sheltered by the Kremlin. The hypocrisy of Putin’s Russia: sheltering Israel’s enemies Modern Putin’s Russia plays both sides. On one hand, it presents itself as a “global mediator,” offering diplomatic solutions. But on the other — it welcomes and protects some of the most notorious leaders responsible for terrorism, war, and instability. And it does so consistently. This is not diplomacy — it is a two-faced strategy. The Kremlin today offers refuge to Israel’s direct enemies: from Iran with its nuclear threats, to Assad who allowed Iranian forces to entrench in Syria. Putin’s Russia turns hospitality into a weapon of influence, keeping dictators in its pocket. The Kremlin has repeatedly acted as the “savior” of dictators and allies whose regimes were on the brink of collapse. But this isn’t compassion — it’s cold calculation: - preserving geopolitical leverage, - exporting instability, - pressuring Israel, Ukraine, and the West. NAnews — Israel News warns: asylum for dictators is a prelude to the next wave of threats. https://nikk.agency/en/is-negotiating/