TEHRAN - Exploring the 800-year-old relations between Iran and France, the book authored by Safoura Tork Ladani has recently been published by Iran’s Islamic Culture and Relations Organization (ICRO).

Authored by Ms. Safoura Tork Ladani, a faculty member of the department of France at Isfahan University, the book which is titled "History of Iran-France Relations from the Middle Ages to the Present" explores Iran’s relations with France since the middle ages, from the prosperous relations during the Safavid dynasty in the 17th century to the Pahlavi regime’s specific attention to French culture and civilization.

The 40-year Iran-France relationship after the Islamic Revolution is named by the book as the most controversial historical period of the two countries mostly because of Iran’s endeavor to identify itself as an independent nation with its own cultural identity. 

Some of the controversial topics covered in the book include France's financial support as well as supplying of weapons to Iraq during the Iran-Iraq war and its subsequent decision-making in line with the U.S. government in the Iran nuclear negotiations.

Published by the Centre for Strategic Studies of Cultural Relations of the ICRO in 482 pages, the book is available online and is provided by the Iranian international publisher, al-Hoda Institute, at alhoda.ir which distributes international publications in several international exhibitions including in the Beijing and Frankfurt online International book fairs.

While the Iranians still have some French in their culture, with the simplest being the use of the word ‘merci’ to say thank you during informal conversations, it is vastly important to uncover the historical details which have shaped the cultural influences of the west on Iran which remain to this day. This publication can be a step towards revealing Iran’s cultural interactions with other nations.