VOA常速英语2007年-Iran Welcomes New US Intelligence on Nuclear Pl

By Challiss McDonough
Cairo
04 December 2007
 
Iran has welcomed the new U.S. intelligence estimate which suggests the Tehran government is not currently trying to develop nuclear weapons. VOA correspondent Challiss McDonough has more from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

Iran welcomed the U.S. intelligence agencies' new assessment¹ that Iran is no longer trying to build nuclear weapons.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki says the new U.S. National Intelligence Estimate strengthen Iran's argument that its nuclear program is peaceful. Mottaki told state radio that Iran would welcome any countries wanting to "correct their views toward Iran."

Iranian officials did not address the intelligence report's finding that Iran was actively² trying to build nuclear weapons before 2003.

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said the intelligence report "should help to defuse the current crisis" over Iran's nuclear program. He called for swift negotiations³ to bring an end to the standoff between Iran and the West.

The United States, Britain and France have all said they remain concerned over Iran's intentions. They said further sanctions against Iran remain an option, and they want to keep pressure on the Iranian authorities.

Israel rejected the intelligence report outright⁴, with Defense⁵ Minister Ehud Barak saying he believes it is "incomplete." He said he believes Iran has re-started its nuclear weapons program, although he offered no evidence to back his statement.

In Washington, President Bush called Iran a dangerous country and said there would be no change in U.S. policy. He called for continued international pressure to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Over the last two days in Qatar, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has reached out to the six members of the Gulf⁶ Cooperation Council, or GCC, at their annual summit. He was the first Iranian leader ever invited to attend the Arab group's annual meeting, but he received a muted response to his proposals for regional economic and security pacts⁷.

The GCC leaders called for a peaceful solution to the crisis over Iran's nuclear program.

The prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin⁸ Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani, told reporters he had no inside information on the U.S. intelligence report's findings.

"We hope this is a peaceful program," he said. "It is Iran's right to possess a peaceful nuclear program." He said problems should be resolved through diplomacy⁹ and direct dialogue between the two sides.

The new National Intelligence Estimate concluded that Iran had halted its attempts to build a nuclear weapon in 2003 in response to international pressure. The report said U.S. intelligence agencies are "moderately confident" that Iran has not resumed its weapons program, but the report said intelligence agencies believe with moderate to high confidence that Tehran is keeping open the option of resuming weapons development.

The estimate is seen as a sharp change in the agencies' previous assessment of Iran. Analysts¹⁰ say it may make it harder for the United States and Europe to justify¹¹ their efforts to impose further sanctions on Iran.

1 assessment   

n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额

参考例句：

• This is a very perceptive assessment of the situation.这是一个对该情况的极富洞察力的评价。
• What is your assessment of the situation?你对时局的看法如何？

2 actively   

adv.积极地，勤奋地

参考例句：

• During this period all the students were actively participating.在这节课中所有的学生都积极参加。
• We are actively intervening to settle a quarrel.我们正在积极调解争执。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 outright   

adv.坦率地；彻底地；立即；adj.无疑的；彻底的

参考例句：

• If you have a complaint you should tell me outright.如果你有不满意的事，你应该直率地对我说。
• You should persuade her to marry you outright.你应该彻底劝服她嫁给你。

5 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。

6 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。

7 pacts   

条约( pact的名词复数 )； 协定； 公约

参考例句：

• Vassals can no longer accept one-sided defensive pacts (!). 附庸国不会接受单方面的共同防御协定。
• Well, they are EU members now and have formed solidarity pacts with members such as Poland. 他们现在已经是欧盟的一部分了并且他们和欧盟成员诸如波兰等以签署了合作协议。

8 bin   

n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件

参考例句：

• He emptied several bags of rice into a bin.他把几袋米倒进大箱里。
• He threw the empty bottles in the bin.他把空瓶子扔进垃圾箱。

9 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

10 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

11 justify   

vt.证明…正当(或有理)，为…辩护

参考例句：

• He tried to justify his absence with lame excuses.他想用站不住脚的借口为自己的缺席辩解。
• Can you justify your rude behavior to me?你能向我证明你的粗野行为是有道理的吗？