2007年VOA标准英语-US Consults on New Iran Nuclear Resolution

By David Gollust
Washington
20 February 2007

The Bush administration said Tuesday it has begun consultations¹ on a new U.N. Security Council resolution that would further penalize² Iran for failing to heed³ demands to halt uranium enrichment. An initial Security Council deadline for Iran to comply expires Wednesday. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

The Security Council is awaiting a formal report from International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei on Iran's compliance⁴ with the December 23 resolution.

But officials here say it is already clear that Iran has failed to heed its terms, and they say the United States has begun consulting with other council members on a follow-up resolution to increase the pressure on Tehran.

Briefing reporters, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey said Tehran has neither halted enrichment and related activities as called for in resolution 1736, nor replied to questions posed by the IAEA about its nuclear intentions:

"We're certainly considering an additional resolution in the Security Council depending on what we see in that report, and depending on how we view the next steps in this process. Certainly we want to make sure that Iran understands, that the government of Iran understands, that they're going continue to pay an increasing price for their defiance⁵ of the international community," he said.

The December 23 resolution imposed sanctions targeting Iran's nuclear and missile programs, and key persons involved in them, and gave Tehran 60 days to halt enrichment or face additional measures, a deadline that expires Wednesday.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday his country was ready to stop its enrichment program and return to talks, but only if Western nations stop their own enrichment activities.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow immediately dismissed the offer as another attempt by Tehran to sidestep its responsibility under the U.N. resolution. "The international community has made it clear that Iran should not be in a position to develop or possess nuclear weapons. So that is a false offer because the position of the international community is clear. And furthermore the offer, the offer of help, the offer of nuclear power for the Iranian people - that's out on the table as well. So now it's the responsibility of the Iranians to step forward and act," he said.

The United States and key allies believe that Iran's nominally⁶ peaceful nuclear program has long concealed⁷ a secret weapons project.

They have offered to assist Iran with civilian⁸ nuclear power, but only if fuel for its generating plants is produced outside the country and sent back abroad after its use.

Under those terms, the United States had with some reluctance⁹ supported a Russian effort to complete a partially¹⁰ built nuclear power plant for Iran at Bushehr on the Persian Gulf¹¹.

But Tuesday State Department Spokesman Casey expressed relief over reports Russia may be preparing to suspend the project because Iran has fallen behind on payments.

He said it is very clear that Moscow shares U.S. concerns about Iran's intentions, and that regardless of Russia's stated rationale for slowing the Bushehr project, neither country is anxious to see any aspect of the Iranian nuclear program move forward.

1 consultations   

n.磋商（会议）( consultation的名词复数 )；商讨会；协商会；查找

参考例句：

• Consultations can be arranged at other times by appointment. 磋商可以通过预约安排在其他时间。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Consultations are under way. 正在进行磋商。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

2 penalize   

vt.对…处以刑罚，宣告…有罪；处罚

参考例句：

• It would be unfair to penalize those without a job.失业人员待遇低下是不公平的。
• The association decided not to penalize you for the race.赛马协会决定对你不予处罚。

3 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

4 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。

5 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

6 nominally   

在名义上，表面地； 应名儿

参考例句：

• Dad, nominally a Methodist, entered Churches only for weddings and funerals. 爸名义上是卫理公会教徒，可只去教堂参加婚礼和葬礼。
• The company could not indicate a person even nominally responsible for staff training. 该公司甚至不能指出一个名义上负责职员培训的人。

7 concealed   

a.隐藏的，隐蔽的

参考例句：

• The paintings were concealed beneath a thick layer of plaster. 那些画被隐藏在厚厚的灰泥层下面。
• I think he had a gun concealed about his person. 我认为他当时身上藏有一支枪。

8 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。

9 reluctance   

n.厌恶，讨厌，勉强，不情愿

参考例句：

• The police released Andrew with reluctance.警方勉强把安德鲁放走了。
• He showed the greatest reluctance to make a reply.他表示很不愿意答复。

10 partially   

adv.部分地，从某些方面讲

参考例句：

• The door was partially concealed by the drapes.门有一部分被门帘遮住了。
• The police managed to restore calm and the curfew was partially lifted.警方设法恢复了平静，宵禁部分解除。

11 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。