Office of the Historian

113. National Security Study Memorandum 2191

Washington, March 14, 1975.

TO

  • The Secretary of Defense
  • The Deputy Secretary of State
  • The Director, Arms Control and Disarmament Agency
  • The Administrator, Energy Research and Development Administration

SUBJECT

  • U.S.–Iran Agreement on Cooperation in Civil Uses of Atomic Energy

The President has directed a study of the issues involved in reaching an acceptable agreement with the Government of Iran which would allow nuclear commerce between the countries—specifically, the sale of U.S. nuclear reactors and materials, Iranian investment in U.S. enrichment facilities, and other appropriate nuclear transactions in the future. The study should consider, but not be limited to, the following:

—The rationale of the current U.S. position, and the status and prospects for negotiating an Agreement on that basis.

—The potential impact of the U.S. position on Iran’s nuclear development plans.

—Alternatives for a U.S. position, with pros and cons, including an assessment of the effect of each on our non-proliferation policy.

—The relation of nuclear commerce with Iran to the broader question of U.S.–Iran cooperation.

—The outlook for Congressional support of a U.S.–Iran Atomic Energy Agreement.

The study should be carried out by an ad hoc group chaired by a representative of the NSC, and submitted no later than March 19.

Henry A. Kissinger2
  1. Source: Ford Library, National Security Adviser, National Security Decision Memoranda and National Security Study Memoranda, Box 2, NSSM 219. Secret. A copy was sent to the Director of Central Intelligence.↩
  2. Scowcroft signed for Kissinger above this typed signature.↩