VOA标准英语2009-Iran's Parliament Speaker Blasts US Actions

By Elizabeth Arrott
Cairo
15 November 2009

Iran's parliament speaker, Ali Larijani, has criticized U.S. President Barack Obama, arguing that his promise to change U.S. policy toward Tehran amounts to nothing.

 
Iran's parliament speaker Ali Larijani (file photo)
Speaker Larijani said after a year of U.S. President Barack Obama's speeches and slogans, it is a "disgrace" the U.S. president's actions are the same as his predecessor¹.

Larijani argued two actions last week showed that little had changed in U.S. policy since the presidency² of George W. Bush. The Iranian lawmaker decried³ the extension of U.S. sanctions against Iran for another year.

Last Thursday, Mr. Obama renewed the long-standing injunctions imposed in the early days of the Islamic Revolution against financial dealings with Iran. 

The same day, U.S. prosecutors⁵ moved to seize property belonging to companies accused of transferring money illegally to the Islamic Republic.

Among the assets eyed by the prosecutors are several American mosques⁶ and a New York skyscraper⁷ owned by the Alavi Foundation and the Assa Corporation. They are accused of sending money to the Iran's state-owned Bank Melli.

The U.S. Treasury⁸ says Bank Melli helps pay for weapons proliferation, and forbids U.S. citizens from dealing⁴ with it.

The Alavi foundation disputes the allegations, but says it is cooperating with investigators⁹.  

Larijani also rejected the latest Western proposal to resolve questions about Iran's nuclear program, dismissing it as "unimportant" and "irrational¹⁰." The plan calls for Iran to send uranium abroad for enrichment, but Tehran countered with conditions to what was presented as a take-it-or-leave-it proposition.

After a forum¹¹ in Singapore, President Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said time was running out for Iran to accept the plan.

Washington and others are concerned Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.

1 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

2 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

3 decried   

v.公开反对，谴责( decry的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The measures were decried as useless. 这些措施受到指责，说是不起作用。
• The old poet decried the mediocrity of today's writing. 老诗人抨击了现代文体的平庸无奇。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。

6 mosques   

清真寺； 伊斯兰教寺院，清真寺； 清真寺，伊斯兰教寺院( mosque的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Why make us believe that this tunnel runs underneath the mosques? 为什么要让我们相信这条隧洞是在清真寺下？
• The city's three biggest mosques, long fallen into disrepair, have been renovated. 城里最大的三座清真寺，过去年久失修，现在已经修复。

7 skyscraper   

n.摩天大楼

参考例句：

• The skyscraper towers into the clouds.那幢摩天大楼高耸入云。
• The skyscraper was wrapped in fog.摩天楼为雾所笼罩。

8 treasury   

n.宝库；国库，金库；文库

参考例句：

• The Treasury was opposed in principle to the proposals.财政部原则上反对这些提案。
• This book is a treasury of useful information.这本书是有价值的信息宝库。

9 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 irrational   

adj.无理性的，失去理性的

参考例句：

• After taking the drug she became completely irrational.她在吸毒后变得完全失去了理性。
• There are also signs of irrational exuberance among some investors.在某些投资者中是存在非理性繁荣的征象的。

11 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。