Name: Darkhovin
Other Names: Darkhouin, Ahvaz, Esteghlal, and Karun
Location: South of Ahvaz, on the Karun River
Subordinate to: AEOI
Size: n/a
Primary Function: Nuclear power production

Description:

Darkhovin has been the proposed location for several proposed reactor projects. The first was in 1973, when the French were contracted to construct two 950MW pressurized water reactors (PWRs). In 1979, following the Islamic revolution, the deal was cancelled. In 1993, Iran contracted with the Chinese to construct two 300MW Qinshan reactors under a project named Esteghlal ("Independence") at that location. In 1995, China cancelled construction of the reactors. This may have been due to U.S. pressure on China to end nuclear cooperation with Iran.

Key Sources:
[1] Walid Abi-Murshid, "U.S. Warned Not to Try Using IAEA to Isolate or Destabilize Iran," Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, 12 February 1994, pp. 1, 4, in JPRS-TND-94-006, pp. 56-57.
[2] Nuclear Engineering International, World Nuclear Industry Handbook 1996, p. 105.
[3] "China's Reactor Sale to Iran Now in Doubt," Arms Control Today, No. 25, October 1995.
[4] "Darkhovin," Federation of American Scientists, http://www.fas.org/nuke/guide/iran/facility/darkhovin.htm.

	Updated January 2006