Prospect of Istanbul nuclear talks less promising

    TEHRAN, Jan. 19 (Xinhua) -- After eight years of struggle over Iran's nuclear program, the prospect¹ of the upcoming nuclear meeting between Iran and the G5+1 countries in Istanbul( 伊斯坦布尔) on Friday and Saturday seems to be less promising².
    Both sides are taking steps into the talks with no road map having been developed for the advancement³ of the talks, instead absolute rhetoric⁴ from both sides persisting their earlier stances overshadows the outcome of the meeting.
    Local observers here believe the new round of talks in Istanbul would hardly bear any fruits since it is next to impossible that Iran would withdraw from its claims to its nuclear rights.
    "There is absolutely no possibility that Iran will give up its peaceful nuclear program" including "the production of nuclear fuel for its civilian⁵ reactors," said Dr. Seyed Mohammad Marandi, a research fellow at the Institute of North American and European Studies of Tehran University.
    Explaining his views to Xinhua on Sunday only a few days ahead of the Istanbul meeting, Marandi warned that the U.S. persistence（固执） on the confrontation⁶ policy with Iran in the talks in order to force Iran to withdraw from its nuclear rights "will lead to an increasingly dangerous situation in which the U.S. will not win."This holds true for the nonflexible rhetoric of Iranian leaders as it comes closer to the meeting days.
    Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that tens of resolutions will not stop Iran's nuclear drive.
    "We drive our peaceful nuclear program ahead day by day," and if the Western countries issue tens of other resolutions against Iran, the resolutions will not have any impact on our country's will, Ahmadinejad told a group of official IRNA news agency staff.
    Iran is under sanction pressures by the United States, European Union and other western countries over its controversial nuclear program which they believe are moving to the atomic weaponry developments. However, Tehran denied the allegations, claiming that its nuclear program is aimed at civilian and peaceful purpose.
    In the latest move in December, the United States imposed unilateral sanctions on several Iranian companies, including two banks, an insurance company and a local shipping⁷ line accused of involvement in Iran's nuclear energy program.
    Dr. Marandi, denounced the sanctions move as a hostile measure taken by the west, especially by the United States.
    He observed the role of the United States in this regard as "a negative role" since, he argues, this "basically ... prevents the issue from being resolved.""The more the pressure on Iran, the more determined⁸ Iran will be to speed up the nuclear program and to push back its antagonists," said the Iranian scholar.
    Dr. Marandi's comments are echoed by local analysts⁹ when the Iranian president pronounces, only two days ahead of the new talks, another hardliner position by saying that Iran will not withdraw an iota¹⁰ from its nuclear objectives.
    The position is further amplified¹¹ when his words are followed by the Wednesday announcement of a "successful" missile test-fire at Iran's Khondab nuclear sites near Central Arak city.
    Amid Iran's tough stance when it says the Islamic Republic will not discuss its nuclear rights in the upcoming nuclear talks, the west also shows no signs of compromise over the nuclear issue.
    The EU's foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said last Thursday that the world power would address Iran's nuclear issue despite Tehran's refusal to talk about its nuclear program during the coming talks.
    The EU rejection¹² of Iran's invitation for a tour of its nuclear facilities from Saturday to Sunday, which was later turned down by some other world powers, was also considered by the local observers as a sign of pessimism¹³ towards the outcome of the talks.（本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑）

1 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

2 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

3 advancement   

n.前进，促进，提升

参考例句：

• His new contribution to the advancement of physiology was well appreciated.他对生理学发展的新贡献获得高度赞赏。
• The aim of a university should be the advancement of learning.大学的目标应是促进学术。

4 rhetoric   

n.修辞学，浮夸之言语

参考例句：

• Do you know something about rhetoric?你懂点修辞学吗？
• Behind all the rhetoric,his relations with the army are dangerously poised.在冠冕堂皇的言辞背后，他和军队的关系岌岌可危。

5 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

6 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

7 shipping   

n.船运（发货，运输，乘船）

参考例句：

• We struck a bargain with an American shipping firm.我们和一家美国船运公司谈成了一笔生意。
• There's a shipping charge of ￡5 added to the price.价格之外另加五英镑运输费。

8 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。

9 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。

10 iota   

n.些微，一点儿

参考例句：

• There is not an iota of truth in his story.他的故事没有一点是真的。
• He's never shown an iota of interest in any kind of work.他从来没有对任何工作表现出一点儿兴趣。

11 amplified   

放大，扩大( amplify的过去式和过去分词 )； 增强； 详述

参考例句：

• He amplified on his remarks with drawings and figures. 他用图表详细地解释了他的话。
• He amplified the whole course of the incident. 他详述了事件的全过程。

12 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

13 pessimism   

n.悲观者，悲观主义者，厌世者

参考例句：

• He displayed his usual pessimism.他流露出惯有的悲观。
• There is the note of pessimism in his writings.他的著作带有悲观色彩。