VOA标准英语2013--伊朗新任总统在联合国展示温和面孔

 

Iran's Rouhani to Strike Softer Tones at UN 伊朗新任总统在联合国展示温和面孔

UNITED NATIONS — Iranian President Hassan Rouhani will address the United Nations General Assembly for the first time at Tuesday's opening session.  After setting a reformist tone throughout his early days in office, expectations are high for Iran's new leader, who is taking a less aggressive approach to nuclear talks.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says Iran's new president could signal a new way forward.

"I think Rouhani's comments have been very positive, but everything needs to be put to the test, we'll see where we go," said Kerry.

Iran's nuclear program is what most concerns the United States, because Washington believes Tehran is trying to develop a nuclear weapon.  Iran says its atomic activities are for peaceful, civilian¹ purposes.

President Rouhani has taken the lead in trying to soothe² those tensions, saying that his country will never develop nuclear weapons and that he wants "the swiftest resolution of this issue in the framework of international standards."

That sort of message represents a major shift from former president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who routinely threatened those opposing Iran's nuclear program.  Former U.S. Ambassador Adam Ereli says it is a decidedly more-diplomatic approach.

"Rouhani is a very different personality than Ahmadinejad. He's much more sophisticated.  He's much more cosmopolitan³.  He's much more of a politician and less of a populist," said Ereli.

However, Ereli points out this is more form than substance; real power rests with Iran's religious leaders.

"The fundamental tenets of the regime are constant.  And the intentions of the regime haven't changed, whether it be their nuclear program, whether it be their support for terror," said Ereli.

Israel has long called for tougher international action against Iran's nuclear program and does not believe President Rouhani offers anything new.  Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev feels the current warm words coming from Iran are merely a ploy⁴.

"What we heard from the Iranian leadership is unfortunately just sugar-colored words. Words designed to deceive.  Words designed to lull⁵ the international community into a complacency," said Regev.

Ploy or no, at the very least President Rouhani's overtures⁶ give Washington time to step back from confronting Iran at a time of instability in Syria and Egypt, says Cato Institute analyst⁷ Doug Bandow.

"I'm sure they want to put this off. I think the new government in Iran is the best reason for them to do so. To be able to say, 'Look. We don't know where this is going but there's much more hope today with someone who within the Iranian system is a moderate,'" said Bandow.

However, some experts, such as former ambassador Ereli, doubt that Rouhani is truly a moderate at all.

"We have a more capable adversary⁸ in Rouhani, not a more responsible partner. And so we should be doubly alert to him and what he is trying to do on behalf of the regime just because he's going to be better at it," opined Ereli.

While there are no plans for President Rouhani to meet with President Obama at the U.N., his foreign minister will meet with Secretary Kerry and other international diplomats⁹ as part of Security Council talks on Iran's nuclear program. 

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 soothe   

v.安慰；使平静；使减轻；缓和；奉承

参考例句：

• I've managed to soothe him down a bit.我想方设法使他平静了一点。
• This medicine should soothe your sore throat.这种药会减轻你的喉痛。

3 cosmopolitan   

adj.世界性的，全世界的，四海为家的，全球的

参考例句：

• New York is a highly cosmopolitan city.纽约是一个高度世界性的城市。
• She has a very cosmopolitan outlook on life.她有四海一家的人生观。

4 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

5 lull   

v.使安静，使入睡，缓和，哄骗；n.暂停，间歇

参考例句：

• The drug put Simpson in a lull for thirty minutes.药物使辛普森安静了30分钟。
• Ground fighting flared up again after a two-week lull.经过两个星期的平静之后，地面战又突然爆发了。

6 overtures   

n.主动的表示，提议；（向某人做出的）友好表示、姿态或提议( overture的名词复数 )；（歌剧、芭蕾舞、音乐剧等的）序曲，前奏曲

参考例句：

• Their government is making overtures for peace. 他们的政府正在提出和平建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had lately begun to make clumsy yet endearing overtures of friendship. 最近他开始主动表示友好，样子笨拙却又招人喜爱。 来自辞典例句

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 adversary   

adj.敌手，对手

参考例句：

• He saw her as his main adversary within the company.他将她视为公司中主要的对手。
• They will do anything to undermine their adversary's reputation.他们会不择手段地去损害对手的名誉。

9 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》