>>24447264
>>24447285
how did france benefit once obama signed the iran nuclear deal
France benefited economically from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA), signed under President Obama, primarily through the partial lifting of international sanctions. This opened Iran's market to European companies, allowing French firms in aviation, automotive, and energy sectors to pursue major contracts that had been restricted for years.
### Key Economic Benefits for French Companies
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Aviation (Airbus): In January 2016, during Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's visit to France, Iran Air signed a memorandum for up to 118 Airbus aircraft valued at around $25 billion (list prices; firm contract later for 100 planes worth about €19-23 billion). This included narrow-body A320s, wide-body A330s, A350s, and even some A380s. Deliveries began, marking one of the largest post-deal aviation deals. Airbus, a European consortium with major French involvement and production, gained significant revenue and backlog.
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Automotive (Peugeot/PSA and Renault):
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PSA Peugeot Citroën (now Stellantis) reached agreements to produce up to 200,000 cars per year in partnership with Iran's largest automaker (Iran Khodro), renewing pre-sanctions ties.
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Renault signed a $778 million deal to produce at least 150,000 vehicles annually outside Tehran.
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These revived long-standing French dominance in Iran's car market, which had suffered plant shutdowns and job losses in France during the sanctions era.
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Energy (Total): In July 2017, Total signed a major contract to develop Phase 11 of the South Pars gas field (the world's largest gas field). Total took a 50.1% stake, with an initial investment of about $1 billion (part of a larger ~$4.8-5 billion project involving Chinese and Iranian partners). This was the first big Western energy investment in Iran post-JCPOA and allowed Total to return after exiting under earlier sanctions.
Other sectors saw renewed interest, including potential infrastructure, raw materials, electronics, and pharmaceuticals. France's overall trade with Iran had declined sharply under sanctions (e.g., market share dropping from ~7% in the mid-2000s to ~1%), so the deal enabled a partial recovery. French officials and businesses had long lobbied against the economic costs of sanctions, viewing Iran as a natural market due to historical ties.
### Broader Context and Limitations
France was a tough negotiator during the talks (often pushing for stricter terms than the U.S. on issues like inspections and breakout time), but it supported the final deal as a way to verifiably curb Iran's nuclear program while regaining commercial access. The EU lifted many nuclear-related sanctions (oil embargo, banking restrictions, etc.) after IAEA verification, enabling these deals.
Benefits were short-lived for many. The U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018 under President Trump and reimposition of secondary sanctions (which penalize foreign firms dealing with Iran, especially those using U.S. dollars or banks) forced most companies to wind down:
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Total exited the South Pars project.
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Airbus deliveries halted after a few planes.
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Auto production slowed or idled.
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French exports to Iran later dropped sharply (e.g., ~42% decline reported in some periods).
France (along with the UK and Germany) tried to protect European firms via mechanisms like INSTEX, but these had limited impact against U.S. financial dominance.
In summary, the immediate post-2015/2016 period brought France tangible economic gains—billions in potential revenue for flagship companies and job/support benefits in key industries—by reopening a market of ~80 million people hungry for modern aircraft, cars, and energy tech. These were direct payoffs from sanctions relief tied to the deal Obama helped broker. Long-term gains were undermined by the deal's instability after 2018. France has continued advocating for the JCPOA framework (or a revised version) largely to preserve such economic and diplomatic leverage.