VOA标准英语2012--EU Oil Embargo on Iran Goes into Effect Sunday

 

EU Oil Embargo¹ on Iran Goes into Effect Sunday

The world runs on oil, much of it transported on ships from countries in the Middle East, including Iran. But the European Union has all but stopped its imports from Iran, and the flow will stop completely by Sunday.

The move was expected to be costly², resulting in an increase in the price of oil. Instead, the price has dropped by 20 percent since April.

"What has happened is that Libyan production is coming back, Saudi production has been increased, Nigerian production went up and Iraq has also increased output. And the net increase has been half a million barrels a day," said Leo Drollas of London’s Center for Global Energy Studies.

No need for Iran's oil

Drollas says the world has so much oil that it doesn’t need Iran’s output. And Iran’s rival Saudi Arabia appears eager to keep it that way.

That is bad news for Iran, where international sanctions have caused a 20 percent inflation rate, with food prices rising more than twice that fast.

Now, the situation will only get worse, according to Iran expert Mark Fitzpatrick at London’s International Institute for Strategic Studies.

"More sanctions will be imposed on the Iranian economy, not just the ones that have already been agreed, that fall due on July 1st, but more on top of that. It won’t be a pleasant place to live, in Iran, in the months to come," he said.

Fitzpatrick believes the sanctions will get worse because negotiations³ to curb⁴ Iran’s nuclear fuel enrichment program appear to be in trouble. Recent talks in Moscow produced no move toward compromise. Iran says its program is for peaceful uses but foreign experts say it could easily lead to the production of a nuclear bomb.

Resilient economy

Still, Fitzpatrick says Iran’s economy is strong enough to withstand the pressure of sanctions at least for a little longer.

"It won’t fall to its knees immediately," he said. "But the pressure on the Iranian consumers, is only going to get worse. And what for? What is the purpose of all this pain? So that Iran can have an enrichment program to produce a nuclear weapon in the future, that if they ever took that step the United States will go to war against Iran? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Fitzpatrick does not expect military action as long as negotiations continue. But later this year, if talks fail, he says Israel could attack Iran’s nuclear facilities, and that could trigger a wider war. 

1 embargo   

n.禁运（令）；vt.对...实行禁运，禁止（通商）

参考例句：

• This country put an oil embargo on an enemy country.该国对敌国实行石油禁运。
• During the war,they laid an embargo on commerce with enemy countries.在战争期间，他们禁止与敌国通商。

2 costly   

adj.昂贵的，价值高的，豪华的

参考例句：

• It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
• This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。

3 negotiations   

协商( negotiation的名词复数 )； 谈判； 完成（难事）； 通过

参考例句：

• negotiations for a durable peace 为持久和平而进行的谈判
• Negotiations have failed to establish any middle ground. 谈判未能达成任何妥协。

4 curb   

n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制

参考例句：

• I could not curb my anger.我按捺不住我的愤怒。
• You must curb your daughter when you are in church.你在教堂时必须管住你的女儿。