VOA慢速英语2015 伊朗称必须取消制裁才会签署核协议

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Iran Ties Nuclear Deal to Ending Sanctions 伊朗称必须取消制裁才会签署核协议

Iran’s highest leader has demanded that international economic sanctions against his country end as soon as a final agreement is reached on Iran's nuclear development program.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei spoke¹ on Iranian television Thursday. He said that a framework agreement with the West does not guarantee a completed deal will be reached. Mr. Khamenei also said he is “neither for nor against” the agreement reached last week by Iran and six world powers. He said that deal is non-binding.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made similar comments earlier in the day. The president said Iran would not accept any final deal unless all international sanctions were cancelled.

Witness in South Carolina shooting identified

The witness who recorded a deadly police shooting in the U.S. state of South Carolina last week has been identified.

Feidin Santana took the wireless² telephone video of a white police officer shooting an unarmed black man. Mr. Santana said he had at first considered removing the video from his phone. He told NBC News that the police officer, in his words, “had control of the situation.” He also said the officer used an electronic stun³ gun on the man, Walter Scott.

?The police officer, Michael Slager, first said that Mr. Scott took the electronic stun gun during a fight. However, the video shows a different version of events. Mr. Slager had pulled Mr. Scott over for a minor⁴ traffic violation⁵.

Mr. Santana began recording⁶ the incident when the 50-year-old Walter Scott began running away from the police officer. The officer aimed his gun and fired eight shots at Mr. Scott. He fell about 9 meters away from the officer.  Mr. Santana said he gave the video over to Scott's family after reading the police's version of the events in the news.

On Tuesday, officials charged Michael Slager with murder.

Greece repays $495 million to International Monetary⁷ Fund

Greece has made a debt repayment⁸ of $495 million to the International Monetary Fund. The payment will help Greece move closer to a final international assistance deal. It will also help Greece stay in the Eurozone currency group.

Finance ministers of eurozone countries agreed earlier this year to extend a loan program to Greece.  But they required that Greece present an effective plan for economic reforms.

Since 2010, the European Union and the IMF have provided Greece with more than 270 billion dollars in loans. In exchange, the country had to established austerity measures and major economic reforms.

Words in This Story 

framework – n. the basic structure of something

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.

non-binding – adj. not officially requiring that you do something: not able to be enforced by law

austerity – n. a situation in which there is not much money and it is spent only on things that are necessary