英语听力精选进阶版 14326

Iran nuclear deal

Summary

25 November 2013

Iran has agreed to reduce its nuclear activity and allow greater access for international inspectors¹ in historic talks in Geneva. In return, the world powers will offer some relief from financial sanctions. The agreement creates a six-month trial period.

Reporter:

Mark Wooldridge

Report

In public, a key step along the path to the deal was the dialogue opened up at this year's UN General Assembly between President Rouhani and Western nations, after years of the relationship being dominated by whether Iran is, or is not, seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

And - more than 30 years after the US embassy siege in Tehran - September's fifteen-minute phone conversation between President Obama and Mr Rouhani gave further hope of potential progress towards resolving the nuclear dispute.

But, behind the scenes, it has now been revealed, the US and Iran have been engaged in secret face-to-face talks for months, in Oman and elsewhere. The Associated Press news agency says they were kept hidden even from America's allies and negotiating partners until two months ago.

It was a high-stakes diplomatic gamble. While Israel argues that the deal reached in Geneva is dangerously skewed in favour of Iran, most of Iran's Arab neighbours are clearly uneasy too.

But the public and private diplomacy² from here on will clearly need to be just as intense - and is likely to face many more severe tests - if a more comprehensive nuclear agreement is to be achieved, and Iran's relationships in its volatile³ region and with the rest of the world are to return to normal.

1 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》

2 diplomacy   

n.外交；外交手腕，交际手腕

参考例句：

• The talks have now gone into a stage of quiet diplomacy.会谈现在已经进入了“温和外交”阶段。
• This was done through the skill in diplomacy. 这是通过外交手腕才做到的。

3 volatile   

adj.反复无常的，挥发性的，稍纵即逝的，脾气火爆的；n.挥发性物质

参考例句：

• With the markets being so volatile,investments are at great risk.由于市场那么变化不定，投资冒着很大的风险。
• His character was weak and volatile.他这个人意志薄弱，喜怒无常。