VOA标准英语2012--Ahmadinejad Has Little to Show After Latin American Trip

Ahmadinejad Has Little to Show After Latin American Trip

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad's last stop was Ecuador.
At a news conference with President Rafael Correa, the Iranian leader denied widespread international suspicions that his country is developing nuclear weapons.
"The nuclear question is a political excuse," said Ahmedinejad. "They all know that Iran is not trying to make an atomic bomb. Iran isn't so imprudent as they are to spend its money and not be able to use these bombs."
The visit comes after the Obama administration imposed tough new sanctions on Iranian oil exports.
In Caracas on Monday, President Hugo Chavez lashed¹ out against the U.S. and other countries.
"They accuse Iran of developing nuclear energy for military and war, but have no proof," said Chavez.
On Tuesday, Ahmedinejad attended the inauguration² of Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega. And on Thursday, he met Cuban leader Raul Castro and his brother Fidel.
Latin America expert Stephen Johnson says countries Ahmedinejad did not visit are taking heed³ of the nuclear question.
"This is something that’s, I think, troubling to countries like Brazil and Argentina, and many other countries in Latin America, which happen to be signatories of the Treaty of Tlatelolco and are nuclear non-proliferation countries," said Johnson.
And while Ahmadinejad's government has signed trade and business agreements with the Iran-friendly bloc⁴, many projects are plagued by delays and face criticism as being unnecessary.

1 lashed   

adj.具睫毛的v.鞭打( lash的过去式和过去分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥

参考例句：

• The rain lashed at the windows. 雨点猛烈地打在窗户上。
• The cleverly designed speech lashed the audience into a frenzy. 这篇精心设计的演说煽动听众使他们发狂。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

3 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

4 bloc   

n.集团；联盟

参考例句：

• A solid bloc of union members support the decision.工会会员团结起来支持该决定。
• There have been growing tensions within the trading bloc.贸易同盟国的关系越来越紧张。