Telegram also isnt device to device fully encrypted unless you use a more limited private chat and, as Telegram uses googles messaging service, so likely compromised to NSA anyway.
So if a court order is obtained in UAE then they will likely comply, but not from other countries?
Wasn’t long ago that they introduced extradition agreements so now it’s not a country anyone can hide in.
I'm not certain that's the case. Telegram has survived in large part because Durov is incredibly wealthy and can afford to shovel money into running the service more or less indefinitely. There's no obvious heir apparent.