1
Associate Professor of International Relations, Shahid Beheshti University
2
Master of International Relations, Shahid Beheshti University
Abstract
According to systematic theories of international relations, the foreign policy of states is influenced by the structure of the international system. Thus a change in this structure, such as the breakdown of the bi-polar Cold War system, may have different effects on states' foreign policy. France has tried, during the Cold War and after, to keep an independent foreign policy from the superpowers. The study of French foreign policy after the end of Cold War might poses considerable interest to IR scholars. In this article we seek to study the foreign policy of France in the Middle East, especially with respect to 1) the Arab-Israeli conflict; 2) the Iraqi crises of 1991 and 2003; and 3) the Iranian nuclear program. Our main question is: What are the main goals and strategies of French foreign policy in the Middle East after the end of Cold War? Our main hypothesis is as follows: the main goals of the French in the Middle East is 1) to promote multilateralism; 2) opposition to the American hegemony; and 3) to secure the flow of energy from the region. Its main strategies have been to resort to international law and international organizations in order to achieve its foreign policy goals.