2006年VOA标准英语-Iran Tests New Weaponry as Nuke Tensions Rise

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
04 November 2006
 
As international tensions continue to rise over Iran's nuclear ambitions, the Iranian regime has tested new military weaponry in the third day of war games in the Persian Gulf¹.

Iran's elite² Revolutionary Guards tests missiles during maneuvers³ in a central desert area of Iran, Nov. 2, 2006  
  
The games, called Great Prophet Two, are to run for 10 days. Iranian officials say they are intended to display Iran's defense⁴ capabilities⁵ and achievements in its missile industry. The regime has already tested naval⁶ missiles with a range of about 170 kilometers, giving them capability⁷ to hit vessels⁸ in the Gulf.

Saturday, the Iranian military said it successfully tested new armor-piercing weaponry and an anti-helicopter missile system.

The military exercises come as the U.N. Security Council is considering imposing⁹ sanctions on Tehran, because it has refused demands to stop enriching uranium, a process that can produce fuel for nuclear reactors¹⁰ or material for atomic bombs.

The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council are considering a draft resolution put forward by France, Germany and Britain. The draft orders all countries to ban the supply of material and technology that could contribute to Iran's nuclear and missile programs. It also imposes a travel ban and asset freeze on companies, individuals and organizations involved in those programs.

But Russia and China have been reluctant to support tough sanctions, and, on Friday, Russia proposed major changes to the European draft.

On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters that, any measures the Security Council decides to impose against Iran should be for a limited time only, with a clearly detailed¹¹ mechanism¹² for lifting them.

"We do not disagree with the need to continue to influence the Iranians, but only with the purpose to impress upon them the need to come back to the negotiating table, but for this to happen, all parties must show realism," he said.

Iranians shout anti-US slogans with Haji Bakhshi, center holding a gun and another holding a photo of Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad  
  
Meanwhile, in Tehran, thousands of demonstrators marked the 27th anniversary of the takeover of the U.S. Embassy, when militant¹³ students stormed the building, taking 54 Americans hostage for 444 days.

Parliament speaker Gholam Ali Hadad Adel told demonstrators Saturday that "threats and sanctions would have no influence on the Iranian nation's will." He warned that Iran would react to any measures aimed at harming its integrity or preventing it from its right to benefit from peaceful nuclear energy.

Iran denies that it is seeking atomic weapons, saying its ambitions are to produce nuclear power for civilian¹⁴ purposes such as electricity.

1 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

2 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

3 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 capabilities   

n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力

参考例句：

• He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
• Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

6 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。

7 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

8 vessels   

n.血管( vessel的名词复数 )；船；容器；（具有特殊品质或接受特殊品质的）人

参考例句：

• The river is navigable by vessels of up to 90 tons. 90 吨以下的船只可以从这条河通过。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All modern vessels of any size are fitted with radar installations. 所有现代化船只都有雷达装置。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

10 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

11 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

12 mechanism   

n.机械装置；机构，结构

参考例句：

• The bones and muscles are parts of the mechanism of the body.骨骼和肌肉是人体的组成部件。
• The mechanism of the machine is very complicated.这台机器的结构是非常复杂的。

13 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

14 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。