VOA常速英语2021--伊朗与以色列因核武器争端再起

Israel claimed Tuesday that Iran is five years away from developing a nuclear weapon and said international talks due to restart next week will do nothing to slow it down, adding it reserved the right to act to protect itself.

以色列周二表示，伊朗距离发展核武器还有5年的时间，并表示定于下周重启的国际谈判不会减缓伊朗发展核武器的速度，并补充说，以色列保留采取行动保护自己的权利。

The 2015 accord saw Iran agree to curbs¹ on its nuclear program in return for the lifting of international sanctions and indirect negotiations² to revive the deal are due to resume in Vienna next Monday after a five-month pause.

在2015年的协议中，伊朗同意限制其核计划，以换取解除国际制裁，为重启该协议而进行的间接谈判将于下周一在维也纳重启，此前谈判已经暂停了5个月。

Israel has long opposed the nuclear deal but Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's government, which has been in power since June, had previously³ said it could be open to a new deal with tougher restrictions⁴.

以色列长期以来一直反对这项核协议，但自6月开始掌权的总理纳夫塔利·贝内特的政府此前曾表示，可能会对一项限制更严格的新协议持开放态度。

Israel itself widely believed to have nuclear weapons has long argued that the 2015 deal was too weak to prevent Iran from pursuing a bomb.

外界普遍认为以色列拥有核武器，长期以来，以色列一直辩称2015年的协议太没有影响力，无法阻止伊朗发展核武器。

Former U.S. President Donald Trump⁵ abandoned the deal in 2018, describing it as too soft.

美国前总统唐纳德·特朗普在2018年放弃了该协议，称其过于软弱。

Iran responded by violating some of the deal's restrictions.

伊朗违反了协议的一些限制作为回应。

Current U.S. President Joe Biden's ministration aims to revive U.S. participation⁶ in that nuclear deal.

现任美国总统乔·拜登的政府旨在恢复美国对那项核协议的参与。

A top U.S. diplomat⁷ said Tuesday he's worried that the military developments in Ethiopia are getting in the way of efforts to stop the escalation⁸ of the country's year-long conflict.

美国一名高级外交官周二表示，他担心埃塞俄比亚的军事发展会阻碍为阻止该国长达一年的冲突升级所作的努力。

On returning from a trip to Ethiopia, U.S. special envoy⁹ Jeffrey Feltman told reporters he and other diplomats¹⁰ were trying to achieve a de-escalation and cease-fire between the Ethiopian federal government and forces led by the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front.

在结束对埃塞俄比亚的访问回国后，美国特使杰弗里·费尔特曼对记者说，他和其他外交官正努力实现埃塞俄比亚联邦政府和提格雷人民解放阵线领导的部队之间的冲突缓和与停火。

The top U.S. and Russian generals spoke¹¹ by phone Tuesday as tensions along the Russian-Ukrainian border appeared to reach new highs.

美国和俄罗斯高级将领周二通了电话。与此同时，俄乌边境的紧张局势似乎达到了新的高度。

Both Washington and Moscow quickly issued readouts of the call.

华盛顿和莫斯科都迅速发布了有关这通电话的信息。

The U.S. statement said the two generals discussed several security-related issues of concern.

美国的声明称，两位将军讨论了几个与安全有关的关切问题。

It also said both sides had agreed to keep the details of Tuesday's call private.

声明中还表示，双方已同意对周二通话的细节保密。

The conversation follows heightened concern about what the U.S. and NATO repeatedly have described as unusual activity by Russian forces along Russia's border with Ukraine and Crimea.

在此次通话之前，美国和北约曾一再表示，俄罗斯军队在俄罗斯与乌克兰和克里米亚边境地区进行的不寻常活动加剧了人们的担忧。

Ukrainian intelligence estimates have put the number of Russian troops along the border at about 90,000.

乌克兰情报部门估计，边境沿线的俄罗斯军队人数约为9万人。

1 curbs   

v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• In executing his functions he is not bound by any legal curbs on his power. 在他履行职务时，他的权力是不受任何法律约束的。 来自辞典例句
• Curbs on air travel were being worked out and would shortly be announced. 限制航空旅行的有关规定正在拟定中，不久即将公布。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

5 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

6 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

7 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

8 escalation   

n.扩大，增加

参考例句：

• The threat of nuclear escalation remains. 核升级的威胁仍旧存在。 来自辞典例句
• Escalation is thus an aspect of deterrence and of crisis management. 因此逐步升级是威慑和危机处理的一个方面。 来自辞典例句

9 envoy   

n.使节，使者，代表，公使

参考例句：

• Their envoy showed no sign of responding to our proposals.他们的代表对我方的提议毫无回应的迹象。
• The government has not yet appointed an envoy to the area.政府尚未向这一地区派过外交官。

10 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》

11 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。