VOA标准英语2009年-Iranian Lawmakers Warn West Ahead of Nucle

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
29 September 2009

 
The reactor¹ building (L) dominates the nuclear power plant in Bushehr, Iran (File)
Iran's parliament has warned the world's major powers not to repeat what it called their past mistakes during nuclear talks set for Thursday. 

Iranian lawmakers say the Geneva meeting this week offers a historic chance to resolve the dispute over the nation's nuclear program.

In a statement issued Tuesday, parliament voiced its support of the talks within the framework of Iran's package of proposals.

So far, that package, counter-offers to Western demands it open up about its nuclear activities, has sparked little interest.

Ali Nouri Zadeh, the director of the Center for Arab and Iranian Studies in London, says that's not likely to change.

"I don't think they're going to come up with any new idea," Zadeh said. "On the contrary, the Iranian proposal contains all sorts of issues but the nuclear issue."

The matter gained new urgency last week when Iran revealed, apparently² under duress³, that it was building a second uranium enrichment plant. According to reports it is located in or near a Revolutionary Guard military base.

 
Iranian Vice⁴ President Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, listens to a question posed by media in his office in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, 29 Sept. 2009
Iran's nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi says his government plans to announce soon when international inspectors⁵ can view the facility, even though Western powers have indicated they will set the timetable.

In an interview with state-run Press TV, Salehi says the plant is being built according to international regulations and calls Western accusations⁶ about the nature of the facility "baseless." He adds that the plant will produce low-enriched uranium, consistent with a nuclear energy program.

The United States and several European allies have expressed concern that Tehran is secretly trying to make nuclear weapons, a charge the Iranian government denies. 

Representatives of the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany are due to meet with Iranian envoys⁷ Thursday in Geneva. They are expected to offer further incentives⁸ for Iran to stop enriching uranium.

If the talks fail, several of the nations have threatened further sanctions. Ali Nouri Zadeh of the Center for Arab and Iranian Studies says some kind of action seems inevitable⁹.

"The West is not just going to give up easily to let Iran be, you know, the naught¹⁰ boy in the area," Zadeh said. "I'm sure there will be more sanctions and more suggestions to increase pressure on Iran."

What is not clear is if China and possibly Russia, both with veto power in the Security Council, would go along.

The Obama administration could pursue tougher unilateral moves. There are reports it could target with international businesses that deal with Iran in a bid to isolate¹¹ the nation economically.

1 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

2 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

3 duress   

n.胁迫

参考例句：

• He claimed that he signed the confession under duress.他说他是被迫在认罪书上签字的。
• These unequal treaties were made under duress.这些不平等条约是在强迫下签订的。

4 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。

5 inspectors   

n.检查员( inspector的名词复数 )；（英国公共汽车或火车上的）查票员；（警察）巡官；检阅官

参考例句：

• They got into the school in the guise of inspectors. 他们假装成视察员进了学校。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Inspectors checked that there was adequate ventilation. 检查员已检查过，通风良好。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

7 envoys   

使节( envoy的名词复数 )； 公使； 谈判代表； 使节身份

参考例句：

• the routine tit for tat when countries expel each other's envoys 国家相互驱逐对方使节这种惯常的报复行动
• Marco Polo's travelogue mentions that Kublai Khan sent envoys to Malgache. 马可波罗游记中提到忽必烈曾派使节到马尔加什。

8 incentives   

激励某人做某事的事物( incentive的名词复数 )； 刺激； 诱因； 动机

参考例句：

• tax incentives to encourage savings 鼓励储蓄的税收措施
• Furthermore, subsidies provide incentives only for investments in equipment. 更有甚者，提供津贴仅是为鼓励增添设备的投资。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

9 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

10 naught   

n.无，零 [=nought]

参考例句：

• He sets at naught every convention of society.他轻视所有的社会习俗。
• I hope that all your efforts won't go for naught.我希望你的努力不会毫无结果。

11 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。