2006年VOA标准英语-Iran Defends Its Nuclear Program, Condemns UN S

By Peter Heinlein
New York
23 December 2006

 
The UN Security Council unanimously votes to approve a resolution imposing¹ sanctions against Iran
The U.N. Security Council has imposed sanctions on Iran for its suspect nuclear program. The vote came nearly four months after Iran defied an earlier Council deadline to halt uranium enrichment. VOA's Peter Heinlein at the U.N. reports.

In a special Saturday session, the Council approved sanctions aimed at persuading Tehran to suspend its uranium enrichment program.

The support of veto-wielding Council members Russia and China had been in question during two months of negotiations³ on the text. Both have close commercial ties to Iran. But in the end, the vote was unanimous.

The measure prohibits the import or export of dangerous materials and technology that could be used in Iran's nuclear and missile programs. It also calls for a freeze on the assets of several Iranian individuals and companies involved in proliferation-related activities.

Addressing the Council before the vote, acting⁴ U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Alejandro Wolff warned Iran to consider the resolution an unequivocal message.

"Iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons capability⁵ constitutes a grave threat, and demands a clear statement from this Council," said Wolff. "Today, we are placing Iran in small category of states under Security Council sanctions, and sending Iran an unambiguous message that there are serious repercussion⁶ to its continued disregard of its obligations and defiance⁷ of this body."

The sanctions will be legally binding⁸ under Chapter Seven of the U.N. Charter. But they were approved under a clause of the charter that excludes the possibility that it can be enforced through military action.

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, said Moscow sees the sanctions as reversible, and the resolution as part of a diplomatic process of negotiation².

"The resolution clearly reaffirms that, if Iran suspends all activities relating to enrichment or chemical reprocessing of uranium, then the measures will be suspended, as spelled out in the resolution of the Security Council. This will make it possible to launch the negotiating process in the interests of a solid political settlement of the Iranian nuclear problem," noted⁹ Churkin.

Iran's U.N. ambassador, Jawed¹⁰ Zarif, condemned¹¹ the measure. In a speech to the Council after the vote, Zarif defended Iran's right to nuclear technology. He accused the Council of double standards in imposing sanctions on what he called Tehran's peaceful nuclear program, while ignoring Israel's recently-declared nuclear status.

 
Iranian ambassador to UN M. Javad Zarif responds to the vote by UN Security Council Saturday, 23 Dec  2006  
"It is indisputable that nuclear weapons in the hands of the Israeli regime, with an unparalleled record of noncompliance with Security Council resolutions poses a uniquely grave threat to regional and international peace and security," said Zarif.

An Iranian Foreign Ministry¹² spokesman called the resolution "an illegal measure outside the jurisdiction¹³ of the Security Council and contradicting the regulations of the United Nations Charter." Iran has repeatedly said its nuclear program is peaceful, intended only for providing electricity.

Saturday's unanimous vote was achieved after sponsors Britain, France and Germany made some final changes to the text. Among them was dropping the name of Iran's Aerospace¹⁴ Industries Organization from the sanctions list. Some subsidiaries of the Aerospace Industries were, however, left on the list.

The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei, said after Saturday's vote that he would press ahead with investigations¹⁵ of Iran's nuclear program. The IAEA has been probing Tehran's proliferation-related activities since 2003.

1 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

2 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

3 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。

4 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

5 capability   

n.能力；才能；(pl)可发展的能力或特性等

参考例句：

• She has the capability to become a very fine actress.她有潜力成为杰出演员。
• Organizing a whole department is beyond his capability.组织整个部门是他能力以外的事。

6 repercussion   

n.[常pl.](不良的)影响，反响，后果

参考例句：

• After being put out,service has received very good market repercussion.服务推出后收到了非常好的市场反响。
• The president's death had unexpected repercussion.总统的逝世引起出乎意料的反响。

7 defiance   

n.挑战，挑衅，蔑视，违抗

参考例句：

• He climbed the ladder in defiance of the warning.他无视警告爬上了那架梯子。
• He slammed the door in a spirit of defiance.他以挑衅性的态度把门砰地一下关上。

8 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

9 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。

10 jawed   

adj.有颌的有颚的

参考例句：

• The color of the big-jawed face was high. 那张下颚宽阔的脸上气色很好。 来自辞典例句
• She jawed him for making an exhibition of himself, scolding as though he were a ten-year-old. 她连声怪他这样大出洋相，拿他当十岁的孩子似的数落。 来自辞典例句

11 condemned   

adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• He condemned the hypocrisy of those politicians who do one thing and say another. 他谴责了那些说一套做一套的政客的虚伪。
• The policy has been condemned as a regressive step. 这项政策被认为是一种倒退而受到谴责。

12 ministry   

n.(政府的)部；牧师

参考例句：

• They sent a deputation to the ministry to complain.他们派了一个代表团到部里投诉。
• We probed the Air Ministry statements.我们调查了空军部的记录。

13 jurisdiction   

n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权

参考例句：

• It doesn't lie within my jurisdiction to set you free.我无权将你释放。
• Changzhou is under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province.常州隶属江苏省。

14 aerospace   

adj.航空的，宇宙航行的

参考例句：

• The world's entire aerospace industry is feeling the chill winds of recession.全世界的航空航天工业都感受到了经济衰退的寒意。
• Edward Murphy was an aerospace engineer for the US Army.爱德华·墨菲是一名美军的航宇工程师。

15 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。