Iran Rejects Trump’s Offer of Talks as ‘Humiliation’

 

Senior Iranian officials on Tuesday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump¹’s offer of talks as worthless and “a humiliation².”

Trump said on Monday he would be willing to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to discuss how to improve relations. Trump said his offer came with no preconditions. “If they want to meet, I’ll meet,” he told reporters.

But the head of Iran’s Strategic Council on Foreign Relations reportedly said Iran saw “no value” in Trump’s proposal to meet. Kamal Kharrazi was quoted in the semi-official Fars news agency. He noted³ his country’s “bad experiences in negotiations⁴ with America” as well as “U.S. officials’ violation⁵ of their commitments.”

In May, Trump pulled the United States out of the 2015 multinational⁶ agreement that eased international sanctions on Iran in exchange for limits on its nuclear program. Trump said the deal helped Iran more than it helped other countries.

And on July 23, Trump warned Iran of serious consequences “few had ever suffered in history” if it made threats against the United States.

The deputy speaker of Iran’s parliament, Ali Motahari, said that to negotiate with Trump now “would be a humiliation.” Motahari told the state news agency IRNA, “If Trump had not withdrawn⁷ from the nuclear deal and not imposed (new) sanctions on Iran, there would be no problem with negotiations with America.”

A senior aide to Rouhani said in a Twitter message that the only way to re-open talks was for the United States to return to the nuclear agreement. Hamid Aboutalebi tweeted on Tuesday, “Respecting the Iranian nation’s rights, reducing hostilities⁸ and returning to the nuclear deal are steps that can be taken to pave the bumpy⁹ road of talks between Iran and America.”

Also on Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he has no plan to meet with Iran’s foreign minister later this week in Singapore. Both are to attend a meeting of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

I’m Kelly Jean Kelly.

Words in This Story

humiliation - n. a feeling of shame or foolishness

quote - v. write or say the exact words of someone

sanctions - n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country, etc.

consequences - n. something that happens as a result of a particular action or set of conditions

deputy - n. an important assistant who helps the leader of a government, organization, etc.

pave - v. to with a material to create a hard, level surface for walking, driving, etc.

bumpy - adj. having or covered with bumps: opposite of smooth

1 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。

2 humiliation   

n.羞辱

参考例句：

• He suffered the humiliation of being forced to ask for his cards.他蒙受了被迫要求辞职的羞辱。
• He will wish to revenge his humiliation in last Season's Final.他会为在上个季度的决赛中所受的耻辱而报复的。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

4 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。

5 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

6 multinational   

adj.多国的，多种国籍的；n.多国籍公司，跨国公司

参考例句：

• The firm was taken over by a multinational consulting firm.这家公司被一个跨国咨询公司收购。
• He analyzed the relationship between multinational corporations and under-developed countries.他分析了跨国公司和不发达国家之间的关系。

7 withdrawn   

vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出

参考例句：

• Our force has been withdrawn from the danger area.我们的军队已从危险地区撤出。
• All foreign troops should be withdrawn to their own countries.一切外国军队都应撤回本国去。

8 hostilities   

n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事

参考例句：

• Mexico called for an immediate cessation of hostilities. 墨西哥要求立即停止敌对行动。
• All the old hostilities resurfaced when they met again. 他们再次碰面时，过去的种种敌意又都冒了出来。

9 bumpy   

adj.颠簸不平的，崎岖的

参考例句：

• I think we've a bumpy road ahead of us.我觉得我们将要面临一段困难时期。
• The wide paved road degenerated into a narrow bumpy track.铺好的宽阔道路渐渐变窄，成了一条崎岖不平的小径。