VOA标准英语2013--Iran, US Talked Big, Now Take it Slow

 

Iran, US Talked Big, Now Take it Slow

WASHINGTON — A hoped-for thaw¹ between the U.S. and Iran is not taking hold as quickly as some had hoped. Both U.S. President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke² at the United Nations Tuesday, but instead of grand gestures, the world saw optimistic yet cautious rhetoric³.

While addressing the U.N. General Assembly for the first time, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani sounded hopeful regarding better relations with the U.S.

"We can arrive at a framework to manage our differences," he said.

However, despite the positive words, more familiar demands followed as the Iranian president staked out Tehran's position more clearly.

"Acceptance of and respect for the implementation⁴ of the right to enrichment inside Iran and enjoyment⁵ of other related nuclear rights, provides the only path," said the Iranian president.

Rouhani's speech echoed the somber⁶ tone sounded earlier by U.S. President Barack Obama.

"We are encouraged that President Rouhani received from the Iranian people a mandate⁷ to pursue a more moderate course. The roadblocks may prove to be too great, but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested," said Obama during his address.

Obama's words were carefully chosen, according to Joe Cirincione of the Ploughshares Fund, a foundation committed to a world free from the threat of nuclear weapons.

 “I think the U.S. president is clearly extending a hand to Iran and hoping to get a handshake back,” said Cirincione.

There was hope for a literal handshake earlier, at a U.N. luncheon⁸, but U.S. officials said a meeting was offered but turned down by Iran. The Iranians said to hold even a brief meeting between the two presidents would be "too complicated."

Jessica Tuchman Mathews, of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says such difficulties shouldn't be a surprise.

“Even if Rouhani has for now the supreme⁹ leader’s support, there are a lot of politicians in Iran that would like to see him fail, whose economic and political fortunes are made by no relation with the U.S.,” said Mathews.

Still, Iran has agreed to pursue confidence building measures. Iran analyst¹⁰ Geneive Abdo says it could be the first step in a long process.

“It’s imperative¹¹ for the United States to convince the Iranians that they too want change and to end the hostility¹² and that now the long process of doing that has begun,” said Abdo.

The next step may come when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif in the highest-level meeting between the two countries in decades. 

1 thaw   

v.（使）融化，（使）变得友善；n.融化，缓和

参考例句：

• The snow is beginning to thaw.雪已开始融化。
• The spring thaw caused heavy flooding.春天解冻引起了洪水泛滥。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

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 implementation   

n.实施，贯彻

参考例句：

• Implementation of the program is now well underway.这一项目的实施现在行情看好。

5 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

6 somber   

adj.昏暗的，阴天的，阴森的，忧郁的

参考例句：

• He had a somber expression on his face.他面容忧郁。
• His coat was a somber brown.他的衣服是暗棕色的。

7 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

8 luncheon   

n.午宴，午餐，便宴

参考例句：

• We have luncheon at twelve o'clock.我们十二点钟用午餐。
• I have a luncheon engagement.我午饭有约。

9 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

10 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。

11 imperative   

n.命令，需要；规则；祈使语气；adj.强制的；紧急的

参考例句：

• He always speaks in an imperative tone of voice.他老是用命令的口吻讲话。
• The events of the past few days make it imperative for her to act.过去这几天发生的事迫使她不得不立即行动。

12 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。