WI Iran Beats Iraq in 1982

Warsie

Banned
However an interesting idea is right before Iraq surrenders, Turkey decides (with american support) to invade the kurdish northern section of Iraq to prevent any kurdish state from forming.

Iran could also try to fight over Kurdistan for a 'greater iran' given Kurds are an Iranian people instead of 'mountain turks'. Also a victorious Iran will be less 'restrictive' meaning self-determination movements should be stronger.

Or will the Saudis increase production so as to prevent america from experiencing any oil problems?

Depends on how this POD affects the Israeli-Arab affair. If people get mad at Israel again Saudi might not increase pumping.

Which other front is there? They haven't invaded Iran...

There were communists trying to take over Iran and make Iran a communist state which presumably would have joined the USSR. Their victory in this war might increase that sentiment again for a reason.
 
Now that's a butterfly :eek:

Another butterfly I thought about today was that Iran could eventually balkanize, if given enough foreign pressure. The various minority ethnic groups might take advantage of the crisis in Iran to get some sort of independence. For example, if the Kurds in Iraq get independence, the Iranian Kurds might try to join them. If the Soviets support Azerbaijani revanchism, they might end up having a separate enclave in northern Iran. Stuff like that.
 

Warsie

Banned
The British and Russian Empires did that during the "Great Game" until the Persianization policies of post-revolutionary rump Persia provided a limit to that. Also I think the reform of the royal/nobility fixed that too as the british and russians appealed to warlord-scope rebel princes who could get away with that sort of stuff. Also the Soviet Union pursued that policy with the Kurdish separatists during the Russian Civil War (It found its way to persia) and for "south" Azerbaijan when it occupied the northern part of Persia during WWII to keep that country from going to the Axis.

Also Soviet encouragement of self-determination seems like a "double-edged sword". Though the Soviet Union DID grant the ethnic groups their own countries and whatnot, which is different and better so they -can- still go for it with some success. Honestly conquering Afghanistan is a good idea in this TL as the afghans will get better off and Balochistan will have its own SSR.
 
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Warsie

Banned
But the Kurds, Azeris, Caspian language speaking peoples, etc can

:cool: SELF DETERMINATION FOR BALOCHISTAN! :cool:
 
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