2007年VOA标准英语-Ahmadinejad: Iranian Nuclear Program Not Slowed

By Sonja Pace
Cairo
28 August 2007

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says that, contrary to recent news reports, Tehran has not slowed its nuclear activity.  In a lengthy¹ news conference in the Iranian capital, the president also warned Iran would respond if the United States goes ahead with plans to label the Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization.  VOA's Sonja Pace has more on the story from our Middle East bureau in Cairo.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (file photo)

Speaking to reporters in Tehran, President Ahmadinejad said the case is closed.

He said Iran has the right to develop nuclear energy and will continue to do so, despite the efforts of some western countries to prevent it.

President Ahmadinejad said that Iran is a nuclear country, and that means it possesses the whole nuclear-fuel cycle.

He also described as false, reports in the news that Iran has slowed its uranium-enrichment activities.

The Iranian leader repeated his government's insistence² that it is pursuing nuclear technology for peaceful purposes only, not for nuclear weapons as the United States and many other nations contend.

President Ahmadinejad also had another word of caution for the United States.

He said it would be illogical for the United States to go ahead with plans to label the Iranian Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization.  He said the United States knows that Iran would respond, but he did not provide details on what that response might be.

Washington has long accused the Revolutionary Guards of supporting terrorism and training terrorists, including in Iraq and Lebanon.

On the issue of Iraq, President Ahmadinejad said Iran supports the Iraqi government.  He said the situation there, however, is becoming increasingly precarious³.  He warned of a growing and imminent⁴ power vacuum in Iraq, which he said Iran was ready to help fill.

Washington has long called for Iran to play a more positive role to help stabilize⁵ Iraq, but fears that Tehran will be all too eager to step into any gap to increase its own influence in Iraq and the region.

1 lengthy   

adj.漫长的，冗长的

参考例句：

• We devoted a lengthy and full discussion to this topic.我们对这个题目进行了长时间的充分讨论。
• The professor wrote a lengthy book on Napoleon.教授写了一部有关拿破仑的巨著。

2 insistence   

n.坚持；强调；坚决主张

参考例句：

• They were united in their insistence that she should go to college.他们一致坚持她应上大学。
• His insistence upon strict obedience is correct.他坚持绝对服从是对的。

3 precarious   

adj.不安定的，靠不住的；根据不足的

参考例句：

• Our financial situation had become precarious.我们的财务状况已变得不稳定了。
• He earned a precarious living as an artist.作为一个艺术家，他过得是朝不保夕的生活。

4 imminent   

adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的

参考例句：

• The black clounds show that a storm is imminent.乌云预示暴风雨即将来临。
• The country is in imminent danger.国难当头。

5 stabilize   

vt.（使）稳定，使稳固，使稳定平衡；vi.稳定

参考例句：

• They are eager to stabilize currencies.他们急于稳定货币。
• His blood pressure tended to stabilize.他的血压趋向稳定。