2007年VOA标准英语-UN Nuclear Chief: Iran 3-8 Years Away From Bomb

By Sonja Pace
London
24 May 2007

The head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog group, the IAEA, says Iran is probably three to eight years away from being able to produce a nuclear bomb and urges negotiations¹ to keep that from happening. But, in Washington, President Bush is calling for tougher sanctions against Tehran. VOA's Sonja Pace reports from London.

Speaking at a news conference in Luxembourg, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei said he agrees with U.S. intelligence assessments² that if Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons, it is three to eight years away from being able to do so.

He said there is no doubt that Iran is increasing its capacity, but he also urged an easing of the rhetoric³ and the start of comprehensive negotiations to contain the threat of a nuclear arms race.

"I see a proliferation issue that is deteriorating⁴, that we are heading toward a confrontation," he said. "I wanted to make it clear that people understand they need to assess their strategy to do something about it so that we can contain an emerging threat to a region that is, to say the least, an absolute mess right now."

ElBaradei was in Luxembourg for an international conference on nuclear arms technology.

Iran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful energy purposes only. But the United States and many other nations say Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons.

The U.N. Security Council has already imposed sanctions on Iran for refusing to suspend its uranium enrichment program. The U.S. and other nations say such a halt is a prelude⁵ to any negotiations. But the most recent IAEA report, issued Wednesday, said Tehran has not halted, but has actually expanded its uranium-enrichment activities.

In Washington, President Bush said Iran knows what it has to do.

"The world has spoken and said: No nuclear weapons programs. And yet they are constantly ignoring the demands," he said. "My view is that we need to strengthen our sanction regime."

Mr. Bush said the U.S. will work with its European partners to develop further sanctions. The president said he will also discuss the issue with the leaders of Russia and China.

"The first thing that these leaders have got to understand is that an Iran with a nuclear weapon would be incredibly destabilizing for the world," he said.

The United States will need the support of Russia and China to get additional sanctions approved in the UN Security Council.

Recently, IAEA chief ElBaradei suggested that Iran should be allowed to keep some elements of its nuclear enrichment program. His comments, made to the media, have angered U.S. officials. On Thursday, a senior U.S. diplomat⁶, speaking in Washington, called ElBaradei's comments "inappropriate" and said a delegation⁷ of American and European officials is to meet with the IAEA chief in Vienna.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, center, 21 May 2007

In Tehran, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad dismissed the threat of sanctions. Speaking to members of the elite⁸ Revolutionary Guards, Mr. Ahmadinejad said Iran will not give in to the demands of its enemies, whom he accused of trying to eradicate⁹ the roots and principles of the Islamic Republic.

1 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。

2 assessments   

n.评估( assessment的名词复数 )；评价；（应偿付金额的）估定；（为征税对财产所作的）估价

参考例句：

• He was shrewd in his personal assessments. 他总能对人作出精明的评价。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Surveys show about two-thirds use such assessments, while half employ personality tests. 调查表明，约有三分之二的公司采用了这种测评；而一半的公司则采用工作人员个人品质测试。 来自百科语句

3 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。

4 deteriorating   

恶化，变坏( deteriorate的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The weather conditions are deteriorating. 天气变得越来越糟。
• I was well aware of the bad morale and the deteriorating factories. 我很清楚，大家情绪低落，各个工厂越搞越坏。

5 prelude   

n.序言，前兆，序曲

参考例句：

• The prelude to the musical composition is very long.这首乐曲的序曲很长。
• The German invasion of Poland was a prelude to World War II.德国入侵波兰是第二次世界大战的序幕。

6 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。

7 delegation   

n.代表团；派遣

参考例句：

• The statement of our delegation was singularly appropriate to the occasion.我们代表团的声明非常适合时宜。
• We shall inform you of the date of the delegation's arrival.我们将把代表团到达的日期通知你。

8 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

9 eradicate   

v.根除，消灭，杜绝

参考例句：

• These insects are very difficult to eradicate.这些昆虫很难根除。
• They are already battling to eradicate illnesses such as malaria and tetanus.他们已经在努力消灭疟疾、破伤风等疾病。