2007年VOA标准英语-Iran Plays Down Threat of US Military Action

By Margaret Besheer
Washington
24 February 2007

Iran's foreign minister played down the possibility of U.S. military action against its nuclear facilities, saying Saturday that the United States is in no position to impose another crisis on the region or its own citizens.  From Washington, VOA's Margaret Besheer reports, the Iranian comments follow remarks U.S. Vice¹ President Dick Cheney made  about options for dealing² with Iran's unwillingness³ to halt its nuclear activities.

 
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki

In Tehran Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki told reporters he does not see the United States imposing⁴ another crisis on its taxpayers⁵ by starting another war in the Middle East, and should instead be thinking how to extricate⁶ itself from Iraq.

His remarks follow comments by Vice President Dick Cheney during a visit to Australia. Mr. Cheney told a news conference in Sydney that the United States is "deeply concerned" about Iran's activities, including its sponsorship of the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant⁷ group and inflammatory statements by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as well as its nuclear activities.

 
Dick Cheney (file photo)
"We believe it would be a serious mistake if a nation such as Iran were to become a nuclear power," said Mr. Cheney.

The United States accuses Iran of secretly pursuing a nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies.

On Monday, diplomats⁸ from the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members, plus Germany, will meet in London to discuss further measures against Iran, after a report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency found Iran has defied the council, and not halted sensitive uranium enrichment work.

Mr. Cheney said the United States favors a diplomatic approach for dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions, but he also left open the possibility of military action.

"We have worked with the European community and through the United Nations to put in place a set of policies to persuade the Iranians to give up their aspirations⁹ and to resolve the matter peacefully, and that is still our preference," he added.  "But I have also made the point, and the president has made the point, that all options are still on the table."

Iran's foreign minister said negotiations¹⁰, not threats, are the way to resolve the impasse¹¹.

Mottaki said Tehran wants the meetings in London next week to make what he called the "brave decision to resume talks with Iran," a move he says could also lead to international cooperation.

1 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

2 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

3 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

4 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。

5 taxpayers   

纳税人，纳税的机构( taxpayer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Finance for education comes from taxpayers. 教育经费来自纳税人。
• She was declaiming against the waste of the taxpayers' money. 她慷慨陈词猛烈抨击对纳税人金钱的浪费。

6 extricate   

v.拯救，救出；解脱

参考例句：

• How can we extricate the firm from this trouble?我们该如何承救公司脱离困境呢？
• She found it impossible to extricate herself from the relationship.她发现不可能把自己从这种关系中解脱出来。

7 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。

8 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 aspirations   

强烈的愿望( aspiration的名词复数 )； 志向； 发送气音； 发 h 音

参考例句：

• I didn't realize you had political aspirations. 我没有意识到你有政治上的抱负。
• The new treaty embodies the aspirations of most nonaligned countries. 新条约体现了大多数不结盟国家的愿望。

10 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。

11 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。