VOA标准英语2010年-Iran, Syria Rebuke US

Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (l) speaks with Syria's President Bashar Assad, as Hezbollah leader sheik Hassan Nasrallah, right, sits next to them during an official dinner, in Damascus, 25, Feb 2010

The presidents of Iran and Syria have rebuked¹ the United States for its policies in the Middle East and for its criticism of both nations.  Their remarks came after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton continued to call for sanctions against Iran, and called on Syria to distance itself from Iran.

Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad presented a united front against what they say is unwelcome meddling² by the U.S. in the region.

During a joint³ news conference Thursday, both men appeared to rebuff U.S calls for Iran to abandon its nuclear efforts, and for Damascus to cut its ties to Tehran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, "(The Americans) want to dominate the region but they feel Iran and Syria are preventing that, and they make some statements as well. These comments are invaluable⁴ to us.  We tell them that instead of interfering⁵ in the region's affairs, to pack their things and leave."

The U.S. and other nations have raised concerns that Iran is seeking a nuclear weapon. Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this week told congressional lawmakers that the Obama administration will continue to push for international sanctions against Iran, unless Tehran reverses course. "Iran has left the international community little choice but to impose greater costs and pressure in the face of its provocative⁶ steps," she said.

For his part, Mr. Assad  called the United States' stance on Iran a "new situation of colonialism" in the region.

The U.S. has been seeking to improve relations with Damascus. The White House has sent top diplomats⁷ to meet with Mr. Assad in recent months, and has named an ambassador to Damascus for the first time in five years.

But the U.S. has criticized Syria for supporting  the militant⁸ groups in the Middle East, and for not doing more to prevent foreign fighters from crossing its border into Iraq.

Secretary Clinton told Congress that the administration's policies toward Syria are clear. "We have laid out for the Syrians the need for greater cooperation with respect to Iraq. The end to interference in Lebanon and the transport or provision of weapons to  Hezbollah. A resumption of the Israeli-Syrian track on the peace process.//(edit to) //and generally to begin to move away from the relationship with Iran which is so deeply troubling to the region, as well as the United States," she said.

The U.S. is calling on Syria  to resume peace talks with Israel that collapsed⁹ in 2000.  In January, tensions soared after President Assad  accused Israel of avoiding peace, and his foreign minister warned of possible attacks on Israeli cities in the event of war.
 

1 rebuked   

责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The company was publicly rebuked for having neglected safety procedures. 公司因忽略了安全规程而受到公开批评。
• The teacher rebuked the boy for throwing paper on the floor. 老师指责这个男孩将纸丢在地板上。

2 meddling   

v.干涉，干预（他人事务）( meddle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• He denounced all "meddling" attempts to promote a negotiation. 他斥责了一切“干预”促成谈判的企图。 来自辞典例句
• They liked this field because it was never visited by meddling strangers. 她们喜欢这块田野，因为好事的陌生人从来不到那里去。 来自辞典例句

3 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

4 invaluable   

adj.无价的，非常宝贵的，极为贵重的

参考例句：

• A computer would have been invaluable for this job.一台计算机对这个工作的作用会是无法估计的。
• This information was invaluable to him.这个消息对他来说是非常宝贵的。

5 interfering   

adj. 妨碍的 动词interfere的现在分词

参考例句：

• He's an interfering old busybody! 他老爱管闲事！
• I wish my mother would stop interfering and let me make my own decisions. 我希望我母亲不再干预，让我自己拿主意。

6 provocative   

adj.挑衅的，煽动的，刺激的，挑逗的

参考例句：

• She wore a very provocative dress.她穿了一件非常性感的裙子。
• His provocative words only fueled the argument further.他的挑衅性讲话只能使争论进一步激化。

7 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 militant   

adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士

参考例句：

• Some militant leaders want to merge with white radicals.一些好斗的领导人要和白人中的激进派联合。
• He is a militant in the movement.他在那次运动中是个激进人物。

9 collapsed   

adj.倒塌的

参考例句：

• Jack collapsed in agony on the floor. 杰克十分痛苦地瘫倒在地板上。
• The roof collapsed under the weight of snow. 房顶在雪的重压下突然坍塌下来。