2006年VOA标准英语-Iranian President Says Tehran Could Withdr

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo
24 April 2006

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad   
  
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran could consider pulling out of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Iranian leader also rejected the threat of sanctions over its refusal to stop its nuclear enrichment program.

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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once again rejected a U.N. Security Council demand to freeze Iran's nuclear program, and said he doubts that the international community will impose sanctions.

The Iranian leader spoke¹ to the international and domestic press for several hours at a rare news conference in Tehran just four days before the U.N. deadline for Iran to stop all nuclear enrichment activity. The U.N. nuclear watchdog agency is set to report to the Security Council Friday on Iran's compliance².

Speaking through a translator, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Iran's policy is to work with the agency under the auspices³ of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. But he said if the agency does not respect Iran's rights, "we could reconsider."

"The agency has to conduct itself in a just fashion. It has to give a report to member countries," he said. " After 30 years of membership, what have you given us?"

Iran maintains that it has the right to peaceful nuclear technology under international law. Western nations fear Tehran is trying to build a nuclear bomb, an allegation that Mr. Ahmadinejad again rejected.

He also said he doubts that the U.N Security Council will impose sanctions on Iran.

"I think that it is highly unlikely that they are so irrational⁴ to do so," he said. "The two or three countries that are very much against us, I think that they are rational enough not to make such a great mistake."

Mr. Ahmadinejad said sanctions would hurt the countries that imposed them more than they would hurt Iran.

The Iranian president announced earlier this month that Tehran has succeeded in enriching uranium to the level needed for nuclear power plants. Other Iranian officials say they plan to expand the enrichment program before the end of the year.

On a different topic, the Iranian leader said that now that Iraq has a government, he no longer sees any need for direct talks between Iran and the United States. He had previously⁵ said he was open to such talks in an effort to quell⁶ the violence in neighboring Iraq. The United States and Iran severed⁷ diplomatic relations in 1979.

Mr. Ahmadinejad's news conference was long and wide-ranging, lasting⁸ for several hours. It is the second time since he took office that he has taken questions from the international news media.

In his hour-long opening statement, he renewed his criticism of Israel, calling it a "fake regime" and blaming its creation on European anti-Semitism. He said Israeli Jews should go back to the countries they came from.

Mr. Ahmedinejad sparked international criticism last year when he said Israel should be "wiped off the map."

1 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

2 compliance   

n.顺从；服从；附和；屈从

参考例句：

• I was surprised by his compliance with these terms.我对他竟然依从了这些条件而感到吃惊。
• She gave up the idea in compliance with his desire.她顺从他的愿望而放弃自己的主意。

3 auspices   

n.资助，赞助

参考例句：

• The association is under the auspices of Word Bank.这个组织是在世界银行的赞助下办的。
• The examination was held under the auspices of the government.这次考试是由政府主办的。

4 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

5 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

6 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。

7 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。