VOA标准英语2010年-Turkish Influence Grows at Iran's Expe

When Turkey voted against additional United Nations sanctions on Iran last May, it seemed the relationship between Ankara and Tehran was stronger than ever.  But Turkey's growing political and economic influence in the Middle East may be gradually pushing Iran to the political sidelines. 

Turkey and Iran share a 500-kilometer border; they enjoy $7.5 billion-worth of annual trade and one million Iranians visit Turkey each year.

But, last April, when Turkish President Abdullah Gul hosted a forum¹ on Afghanistan with his Pakistani and Afghan counterparts, Iran was among the few participating countries not to send a representative at the Presidential level.

 

Elliot Hen-Tov, a scholar of Turkish-Iranian relations, thinks he knows why.

"Iran is not completely comfortable with Turkey," said Elliot Hen-Tov. "It never will be."

Hen-Tov says Iranian leaders are perplexed² - even envious³ - that a country that was half as rich as Iran was years 30 ago, when the Islamic Revolution took place, is today twice as wealthy as the Islamic Republic. 

"To see a neighbor that really was a backwater, an underdeveloped authoritarian⁴ country now emerge as a model, as a leader, must be very frustrating," he said. "And that impacts political relations at some point.  Accepting Turkish leadership is just one step too far." 

In recent years, the political dynamic between Ankara and Tehran has been turned completely on its head.
Today, Turkey is a major political and economic force in the Middle East.  It's the 16th largest economy in the world and Iran looks to Ankara for economic benefits and cooperation.

Turkey has arbitrated an Israel-Syrian conflict; played a role in the political reconciliation⁵ of Lebanon; and is trying to bring together leaders of Syria and Saudi Arabia.

But by pursuing its current foreign policy strategy, Turkey is also taking on Iran's mostly self-ascribed role as defender⁶ of the Muslim underdog.

Just last week, Ankara announced it is determined⁷ to develop an industrial zone in Palestinian territories despite opposition⁸ from Israel.

Last month's Israeli attack on a Turkish-led aid flotilla to Gaza only helped crystallize Turkey's role as the newest advocate for the Palestinians

"That role as the alleged⁹ defender of the "Mosta'Zaffin" - or the Oppressed - in the region and beyond, that is a role that Iran only partially¹⁰ fulfilled in the past," said Hen-Tov. 'It may have seen itself as the leader in its own Revolutionary discourse¹¹ but it was basically the next best thing on the market….You now have a better alternative on the market. "

Analysts¹² say the Arab street hopes the more liberal Islam of Sunni Turkey can lead to solutions for persistent¹³ regional conflicts.
The shift means Middle Eastern players are relying less on the Islamic Republic for political backing.
Last month, Hamas refused Iran's offer to provide an escort for their aid ship to Gaza following the flotilla attack, saying the Iranian assistance might only complicate¹⁴ the situation.

"Supporters of Iran or affiliates¹⁵ such as Hezbollah or Hamas, they quickly have picked up on the signal that Iranian influence is perhaps not as valuable as Turkish influence," he said.

Surveys from a well-regarded polling organization in the U.S. also show that nearly half of Palestinians and 60 per cent of Lebanese have an unfavorable view of Iran.

Similar surveys show that the public in countries with large Muslim populations - including Turkey - lack the confidence Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad can do the right thing regarding world affairs.

Iran may have mixed feelings about Turkey's rise but Ankara is firm in its resolve to prevent the likelihood of military action over its neighbor's nuclear program.

That shared interest between Ankara and Tehran may be ultimately the strongest bond between these two neighbors.
Turkish officials were in Washington last month to defend their government's no-vote in the latest round of U.N. sanctions against Tehran.

Namik Tan is Turkey's ambassador to the U.S:

"It will be Turkey that will be hit hardest by the sanctions or use of force," said Namik Tan. "If we are asked to bear the burden, we should also be given the chance to engage effective dialogue with Iran.  We are right next to Iran, ladies and gentlemen, not 10,000 kilometers away, like yourselves living in this wonderful country."

Despite the envy Iranian leaders may feel towards Turkey's growing regional influence, Tehran continues to view Turkey as an overall positive force.

Iran, after all, is Turkey's second largest natural gas producer after Russia.  And Turkey acts as a buffer¹⁶ on Iran's border from the encroachment¹⁷ of Western NATO powers and to some extent Israel.

But analysts like Hen-Tov say if Ankara's influence on the Muslim world completely overshadows Tehran's presence in the Arab street, Turkey's gain may eventually become Iran's loss.
 

1 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

2 perplexed   

adj.不知所措的

参考例句：

• The farmer felt the cow,went away,returned,sorely perplexed,always afraid of being cheated.那农民摸摸那头牛，走了又回来，犹豫不决，总怕上当受骗。
• The child was perplexed by the intricate plot of the story.这孩子被那头绪纷繁的故事弄得迷惑不解。

3 envious   

adj.嫉妒的，羡慕的

参考例句：

• I don't think I'm envious of your success.我想我并不嫉妒你的成功。
• She is envious of Jane's good looks and covetous of her car.她既忌妒简的美貌又垂涎她的汽车。

4 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

5 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

6 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

7 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

8 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

9 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

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 discourse   

n.论文，演说；谈话；话语；vi.讲述，著述

参考例句：

• We'll discourse on the subject tonight.我们今晚要谈论这个问题。
• He fell into discourse with the customers who were drinking at the counter.他和站在柜台旁的酒客谈了起来。

12 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。

13 persistent   

adj.坚持不懈的，执意的；持续的

参考例句：

• Albert had a persistent headache that lasted for three days.艾伯特连续头痛了三天。
• She felt embarrassed by his persistent attentions.他不时地向她大献殷勤，使她很难为情。

14 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

15 affiliates   

附属企业( affiliate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She affiliates with an academic society. 她是某学术团体的成员。
• For example, these security affiliates participated in the floating of 19,000,000,000 of issues in 1927. 例如，这些证券发行机构在1927年的流通证券中，就提供了一百九十亿美元的证券。

16 buffer   

n.起缓冲作用的人(或物)，缓冲器；vt.缓冲

参考例句：

• A little money can be a useful buffer in time of need.在急需时，很少一点钱就能解燃眉之急。
• Romantic love will buffer you against life's hardships.浪漫的爱会减轻生活的艰辛。

17 encroachment   

n.侵入，蚕食

参考例句：

• I resent the encroachment on my time.我讨厌别人侵占我的时间。
• The eagle broke away and defiantly continued its encroachment.此时雕挣脱开对方，继续强行入侵。