VOA常速英语2014--伊朗、沙特阿拉伯在伊斯兰国家面临共同的威胁（在线收听）

Iran, Saudi Arabia Face Common Threat in Islamic State 伊朗、沙特阿拉伯在伊斯兰国家面临共同的威胁

STATE DEPARTMENT—

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

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

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

在打击伊拉克境内伊斯兰国激进分子的战争中，美国的空袭正在支持库尔德力量发起的进攻。

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

但是伊拉克库尔德地区主席马苏德·巴尔扎尼(Massoud Barzani)表示，帮助库尔德人的是德黑兰。

"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.

“我们要求我们的朋友为提供武装，运送武器，伊朗伊斯兰共和国是第一个为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.

伊朗外交部长扎里夫 (Javad Zarif)表示，德黑兰希望致力于寻找对抗伊斯兰国激进组织更加广泛的方法。

"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.

“我们已做好准备，在国际水平与其他国家和国际社会举行对话，讨论应该在伊拉克，叙利亚和整个地区采取何种措施。”

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

随着美国国务卿约翰·克里正在组建打击伊斯兰国的国际联盟，伊朗参加作战，尤其是在正式的联盟之外，会对华盛顿造成问题。美国驻伊拉克前大使莱恩·克劳克(Ryan Crocker)表示。

"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 Gulf states at a time when we all need to coordinate much more closely again against a common threat," he said.

“我认为这会把伊拉克逊尼派推向完全错误的方向——我认为这会对我们和埃及，沙特阿拉伯，其他海湾国家的关系造成问题。面对共同的威胁，我们都需要更加密切的合作。”

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

美国和平研究所分析人员Steve Heydemann表示，正是威胁的严重性促成了原本不可能的联盟。

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

“伊朗和沙特阿拉伯在很多问题方面都是敌对的，然而，面临过去两个月大肆扩张领土的敌人，他们发现自己被迫考虑合作的可能性。”

The advance raises prospects for such collaboration, says Georgetown University professor Nora Bensahel.

事态的进展致使出现合作的前景。乔治城大学教授Nora Bensahel表示。

"We are probably unlikely to see the United State trumpeting 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.

“我们或许不可能看到美国宣扬与伊朗的合作，或者沙特宣扬与伊朗的合作。但是，尽管其他利益出现非常非常严重的冲突，为了解决共同的威胁，他们却可能进行更加安静的幕后情报分享。”

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

美国大学教授Akbar Ahmed表示，这也是阿拉伯海湾国家抛开与伊朗的分歧的原因。

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

“这是说的通的。这是非常部落化的布局。部落和氏族面临共同的威胁时就会联合行动。他们暂时团结起来，将来某个时候或许会继续其他形式的敌对。”

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 promising to be more inclusive of Iraqi Sunni and Kurds.

Ahmed表示，沙特和伊朗关系缓和的一个最明确的迹象就是利雅得欢迎巴格达新政府的热情。巴格达政府仍然由伊朗支持的什叶派领导，但是会更加包容，将伊拉克逊尼派和库尔德人包括在内。