Iran and France Nuclear Relations during Valéry Giscardd'Estaing Office (1974-1979)

The Iran/France ties expanded in various political, cultural, military and economic areas during the presidency of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Based on the Giscard d'Estaing,s  policy, in order to counter the economic challenges following the Arab-Israel war and the negative oil crisis consequences thereof, the French industries sought a bigger share of the vast Iranian market. The close ties in the Iranian fledgling nuclear industry covered a major portion of these interactions and the delivery of the nuclear powerplants with 5000 megawatt capacity was also a part of the cooperations. The value of some of these facilities, including the Darkhoveyn nuclear power plant, was estimated over $ 1.2 billion worth. Tens of French companies carried out activities in the specialties related to nuclear power plants and the training of the human resources needed for the Iranian nuclear power plants was conducted in France. Also, the Iranian government participated in uranium processing plans of France through paying heavy credits. Iranian efforts to guarantee to receive its nuclear power plants fuel, led to purchasing some of the shares of the fuel providing companies of Corodif and Eurodif of France. The aim of this paper is to explore the French government’s role during the Giscard d'Estaing office in the Iranian atomic program over the 1970s. The question here is how had been the Iran/France nuclear relations during the Giscard d'Estaing’s presidency? In the end, the author concludes that the Giscard d'Estaing presidency’s period was a turning point in the expansion of the two countries’ full scale relations, especially in the field of peaceful nuclear cooperation.The Iran/France ties expanded in various political, cultural, military and economic areas during the presidency of Valéry Giscard d'Estaing. Based on the Giscard d'Estaing,s  policy, in order to counter the economic challenges following the Arab-Israel war and the negative oil crisis consequences thereof, the French industries sought a bigger share of the vast Iranian market. The close ties in the Iranian fledgling nuclear industry covered a major portion of these interactions and the delivery of the nuclear powerplants with 5000 megawatt capacity was also a part of the cooperations. The value of some of these facilities, including the Darkhoveyn nuclear power plant, was estimated over $ 1.2 billion worth. Tens of French companies carried out activities in the specialties related to nuclear power plants and the training of the human resources needed for the Iranian nuclear power plants was conducted in France. Also, the Iranian government participated in uranium processing plans of France through paying heavy credits. Iranian efforts to guarantee to receive its nuclear power plants fuel, led to purchasing some of the shares of the fuel providing companies of Corodif and Eurodif of France. The aim of this paper is to explore the French government’s role during the Giscard d'Estaing office in the Iranian atomic program over the 1970s. The question here is how had been the Iran/France nuclear relations during the Giscard d'Estaing’s presidency? In the end, the author concludes that the Giscard d'Estaing presidency’s period was a turning point in the expansion of the two countries’ full scale relations, especially in the field of peaceful nuclear cooperation.