VOA常速英语2008年-Bush Calls on Iran to Stop Enriching Uranium

By Bill Rodgers
Washington
20 March 2008
 

President Bush says Iran has the right to have civilian¹ nuclear power as long fuel for its reactors³ is provided by an outside source. Otherwise, Mr. Bush said he does not trust the Iranian government to develop nuclear power solely⁴ for peaceful purposes. Mr. Bush's comments came during an interview Tuesday with VOA's Persian News Network. More from VOA's Bill Rodgers.

Iran says its uranium enrichment program is for peaceful purposes only. But the United States and other countries contend Iran wants to become a nuclear power. President Bush told VOA's Persian News Network (P.N.N.) there is a solution.

"I believe in civilian nuclear power. Iran is a sovereign country and they should have it. The problem is we just don't trust the government because they haven't been forthcoming about their enrichment of fuels to go into the reactor². Therefore Russia's offer to provide fuel on a contractual basis, and provide fuel on a consistent basis, would help solve the problem," he said.

 

The impasse⁵ led the U.N. Security Council early this month to impose a third set of sanctions against Iran for its refusal to stop enriching uranium. These latest sanctions would, among other things, tighten⁶ monitoring of Iranian financial institutions and freeze assets against persons or companies involved in the nuclear program.

In the VOA interview, Mr. Bush blamed Iran's leadership for pursuing policies that have isolated⁷ Iran. "The Iranian leaders, in their desire to enrich uranium, have isolated a great country. There's a way forward. The Iranian leaders know there's a way forward, and that is to verifiably suspend your enrichment and you can have new relationships with people (countries) in the U.N. Security Council, for example," he said.

After voting in parliamentary elections last week, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad again denounced the U.N. Security Council, saying western nations do not understand his country.

Iran has said it will only cooperate with the U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency, not the Security Council. However, the IAEA has also expressed serious concern over Tehran's intentions, citing recently disclosed intelligence reports indicating Iran had secretly researched how to make nuclear weapons.

Mr. Bush, during the VOA interview, repeatedly drew a distinction between the Iranian government and the people of Iran. He expressed support for reformers and accused the government of failing to meet the needs of the people, while blaming the United States for the country's problems.

Oil-rich Iran, which is suffering from inflation and other economic problems, is marking the traditional start of the new year -- Norooz. While speaking with VOA's Persian News Network, President Bush delivered a special message to mark the celebrations. "The people of the United States respect the people of Iran. We respect the traditions of Iran, the great history of Iran. We have differences with the government but we honor the people. And we want the people to live in a free society," he said.

As Iranians observed the holiday, some told western reporters they hope the new year will bring big economic improvements in the country.

1 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

2 reactor   

n.反应器；反应堆

参考例句：

• The atomic reactor generates enormous amounts of thermal energy.原子反应堆发出大量的热能。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules.在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

3 reactors   

起反应的人( reactor的名词复数 )； 反应装置； 原子炉； 核反应堆

参考例句：

• The TMI nuclear facility has two reactors. 三哩岛核设施有两个反应堆。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• The earliest production reactors necessarily used normal uranium as fuel. 最早为生产用的反应堆，必须使用普通铀作为燃料。

4 solely   

adv.仅仅，唯一地

参考例句：

• Success should not be measured solely by educational achievement.成功与否不应只用学业成绩来衡量。
• The town depends almost solely on the tourist trade.这座城市几乎完全靠旅游业维持。

5 impasse   

n.僵局；死路

参考例句：

• The government had reached an impasse.政府陷入绝境。
• Negotiations seemed to have reached an impasse.谈判似乎已经陷入僵局。

6 tighten   

v.(使)变紧；(使)绷紧

参考例句：

• Turn the screw to the right to tighten it.向右转动螺钉把它拧紧。
• Some countries tighten monetary policy to avoid inflation.一些国家实行紧缩银根的货币政策，以避免通货膨胀。

7 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。