VOA标准英语2009年-Iran Tests Long-Range Missile Ahead of Nuc

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
28 September 2009

 
Revolutionary Guard's Tondar missile is launched in a drill, Sunday 27 Sept. 2009, near the city of Qom, 80 miles south of Tehran
Iranian state media report the military has successfully test fired its longest-range missile. The test is part of military exercises that coincide with new accusations¹ from the U.S. and others about Tehran's nuclear ambitions.
 
The Shahab-3 missile is thought to have a range of some 2000 kilometers, enough to put Israel, most Arab states and southern Europe in its sights.

State TV broadcast the countdown and launch.

Tehran, which introduced the missile last year, says it is meant to act as an interceptor to deter² any foreign attack.

But some western defense³ analysts⁴ believe the Shahab-3 is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead. Earlier this year, Tehran's arch-enemy Israel test fired its own Arrow 2 missile in a simulation of stopping the Shahab-3.

Iran's military exercises, which started Sunday and have included test launches of short- and medium-range missiles as well, come just days after the disclosure that Tehran is building a new uranium enrichment plant.

Iran was apparently⁵ forced to reveal its existence after it became aware that western intelligence agencies had known about it for years.

Tehran denies there was any secrecy⁶ involved, and that the plant hadn't reached the point where the government needed to disclose its existence.

Major world powers disagree and are expected to drive that point home with the threat of further sanctions in talks with Iranian nuclear representatives in Geneva Thursday.

Iran argues that it has a right to nuclear energy, a point of agreement with Western powers. But the West and the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency want greater access to Iran's nuclear facilities to ensure that energy is all that Tehran is seeking.

1 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

2 deter   

vt.阻止，使不敢，吓住

参考例句：

• Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
• Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。

3 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

4 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。

5 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

6 secrecy   

n.秘密，保密，隐蔽

参考例句：

• All the researchers on the project are sworn to secrecy.该项目的所有研究人员都按要求起誓保守秘密。
• Complete secrecy surrounded the meeting.会议在绝对机密的环境中进行。