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伊朗与沙特面对“伊斯兰国”共同威胁

Saudi Arabia will be a big part of the Obama administration's push for an international coalition¹ to fight the Islamic State extremist group. Iran is already in that fight, backing a new government in Baghdad and helping² arm the Kurds.

在奥巴马政府努力组建的抗击极端组织“伊斯兰国”的国际联盟中，沙特阿拉伯将是一个重要组成部分。伊朗已经加入了战斗，支持巴格达的新政府并帮助武装库尔德人。

So how does Washington balance long-standing mistrust between Tehran and Riyadh with Iran's informal cooperation against the Islamic State?

在德黑兰和利雅德的长期不信任与伊朗在打击“伊斯兰国”战线上的非正式合作之间，华盛顿应该如何保持平衡呢？

In the fight against Islamic State militants³ in Iraq, it is U.S. airstrikes that are backing advances by Kurdish forces.

在伊拉克打击“伊斯兰国”激进分子的战斗中，美国的空袭支持着库尔德武装的反攻。

But the president of Iraq's Kurdistan region, Massoud Barzani, says it is Tehran that is helping Kurds on the ground.

但是，伊拉克库尔德斯坦地区政府元首马苏德?巴尔扎尼说，在地面战场帮助库尔德人的是伊朗。

"We asked our friends to arm our forces and send us weapons, and the Islamic Republic of Iran was the first country that provided us with the required weapons," he said.

他说：“我们请求我们的朋友为我们的武装提供武器，伊朗伊斯兰共和国是第一个向我们提供所需武器的国家。”

Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif says Tehran is open to working on a broader approach to confronting the Islamic State group.

伊朗外长贾瓦德?扎里夫说，德黑兰愿意在抗击“伊斯兰国”方面扩宽思路。

"We are prepared to talk at the international level with other countries and with the international community as a whole with regard to what is needed to be done in Iraq and in Syria and in this region," Zarif said.

扎里夫说：“我们准备好在国际场合与其他国家和整个国际社会对话，谈论需要在伊拉克、叙利亚以及本地区做什么。”

With U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry building an international coalition target=_blank class=infotextkey>coalition against the Islamic State, Iran's involvement in that fight, even outside a formal coalition target=_blank class=infotextkey>coalition, could be a problem for Washington, says former U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.

美国国务卿约翰?克里正在组建一个反对“伊斯兰国”的国际联盟。伊朗加入战团，即使是在联盟之外，也会给华盛顿带来问题。前美国驻伊拉克大使瑞安?克罗克就这样认为。

"I think it could drive the Iraqi Sunnis completely the wrong way - I think it could create serious problems in our relations with Egypt, with Saudi Arabia, with other Gulf⁴ states at a time when we all need to coordinate⁵ much more closely again against a common threat," he said.

克罗安说：“我认为这会彻底把伊拉克逊尼派推向错误的一边。这可能给我们同埃及、沙特阿拉伯以及其它海湾国家的关系造成严重问题，而此时，我们所有各方都需要有更密切的协调来应对共同威胁。”

U.S. Institute of Peace analyst⁶ Steve Heydemann says it is the gravity of that threat that makes for unlikely alliances.

美国和平研究所分析员史蒂夫?海德曼说，正是这种威胁的严重性让对立各方走到一起。

"Iran and Saudi Arabia are bitter adversaries⁷ around most issues and yet find themselves forced to consider the possibility of collaborating⁸ against an enemy that has expanded its territory of operation dramatically in the last two months," he said.

他说：“在多数问题上，伊朗和沙特阿拉伯是死对头，可是它们却被迫要考虑合作抗敌的可能性，这个共同的敌人过去两个月来极大地扩张了活动范围。”

The advance raises prospects⁹ for such collaboration¹⁰, says Georgetown University professor Nora Bensahel.

乔治城大学教授诺拉?班萨赫说，“伊斯兰国”的扩张加强了这种合作的可能性。

"We are probably unlikely to see the United State trumpeting¹¹ cooperation with Iran, for example or the Saudis trumpeting cooperation with Iran. But it may lead to quieter, behind-the-scenes, increased intelligence-sharing, those types of things in order to address what is largely seen as a common threat despite other interests that may be very, very strongly opposed," said Bensahel.

她说：“我们不大可能看到美国或者沙特大事宣扬跟伊朗合作。但这有可能导致更多的静悄悄的、幕后的情报分享等这类活动。各方都看到了一个共同的威胁需要加以应对，哪怕在其它利益上，它们有着非常、非常严重的对立。”

Which is why Arab Gulf states may set aside their differences with Iran, says American University professor Akbar Ahmed.

美利坚大学教授阿克巴尔?艾哈迈德说，这就是为什么海湾国家可能会搁置它们跟伊朗的分歧的原因。

"It makes sense. It's a very tribal¹² configuration¹³. This is how tribes and clans¹⁴ operate when they face a common threat," he said. "They unite for the time being, and perhaps they will continue their rivalry¹⁵ in other forms and at other times."

艾哈迈德说：“这是可以理解的，有强烈的部落权斗色彩。部落和家族遇到共同威胁的时候，就会这样做。他们会暂时联合起来，而且可能会继续以其它方式或者在其它时候勾心斗角。”

Ahmed says one of the clearest signs of a Saudi-Iranian detente is the enthusiasm with which Riyadh welcomed the new government in Baghdad - still led by Shi'ites backed by Iran but promising¹⁶ to be more inclusive of Iraqi Sunni and Kurds.

艾哈迈德说，沙特与伊朗缓和最明确迹象之一是，利雅德热情欢迎巴格达组建的新政府。新政府仍然由伊朗支持的什叶派为主，但是允诺要对伊拉克逊尼派和库尔德人更加包容。