VOA标准英语2008年-US Considers Opening Interest Section in Tehran

State Department officials are acknowledging an internal debate over whether the United States should open a diplomatic interests section in Tehran. Iran said Tuesday it would consider a request from the United States to open a diplomatic presence. VOA's David Gollust reports from the State Department.

The idea of opening a U.S. interests section in Tehran, first raised in a story Monday by the Washington Post, would seem to run counter to the Bush administration's policy of isolating¹ Iran over its refusal to stop enriching uranium.

But in a talk with reporters en route to Europe Monday, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice pointedly² refused to rule out such a step, saying she preferred not to comment on what she termed U.S. internal deliberations.

Only hours later, Iran's official news agency said Tehran is ready in principle to consider such a request if one is made by the United States.

Formal diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed³ after Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, when student militants⁴ took over the U.S. embassy in Tehran and held American diplomats⁵ and others hostage for more than a year.

But diplomats of the two countries have interacted in various venues⁶ over the years, and Iran has quietly operated its own interests section in Washington for several years, technically⁷ part of the embassy of Pakistan.
　
State Department Spokesman Tom Casey (file photo)

At a news briefing Tuesday, State Department Deputy Spokesman Tom Casey reiterated⁸ comments by Secretary Rice that despite its differences with the Iranian government, the United States is looking for ways to reach out to the Iranian people.

"Our issues with the current Iranian government including its nuclear program as well as its support for terrorist activities do not in any way mean hostility⁹ or animosity on the part of the U.S. toward the Iranian people and we have great respect for the Iranian people and for Iranian civilization," said Tom Casey. "And you've seen as well through some of the exchange activities that have been done, based on sports, medicine or art, that we're continually looking for ways to be able to find new means to reach out to the Iranian people."

The United States has an office in the Gulf¹⁰ state of Dubai dealing¹¹ with routine visa matters for Iranians who visit the United States, while the Swiss embassy in Tehran handles U.S. interests in Iran.

Officials here say an American interests section in Tehran would be similar to the one operated by the United States in the Cuban capital Havana.

They say it would be somewhat awkward for Iran to turn down a U.S. request for such a mission, given Iran's diplomatic presence in Washington, which operates openly and even has its own internet website.

Secretary Rice, in her airborne comments Monday, said the United States wants more Iranians to visit the United States and acknowledged it is difficult for would-be Iranian visitors to access the visa office in Dubai.

Rice has repeatedly offered open-ended U.S. political dialogue with Iran, if the Tehran government heeds¹² U.N. Security Council calls to suspend its uranium enrichment effort, which officials here believe is weapons-related.

A senior State Department official Tuesday declined to assess the chances for an American interests section to be opened in Tehran this year, but citing the example of the U.S. mission in Havana, he said stranger things have happened.

　

 

1 isolating   

adj.孤立的，绝缘的v.使隔离( isolate的现在分词 )；将…剔出（以便看清和单独处理）；使（某物质、细胞等）分离；使离析

参考例句：

• Colour filters are not very effective in isolating narrow spectral bands. 一些滤色片不能很有效地分离狭窄的光谱带。 来自辞典例句
• This became known as the streak method for isolating bacteria. 这个方法以后就称为分离细菌的划线法。 来自辞典例句

2 pointedly   

adv.尖地，明显地

参考例句：

• She yawned and looked pointedly at her watch. 她打了个哈欠，又刻意地看了看手表。
• The demand for an apology was pointedly refused. 让对方道歉的要求遭到了断然拒绝。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 severed   

v.切断，断绝( sever的过去式和过去分词 )；断，裂

参考例句：

• The doctor said I'd severed a vessel in my leg. 医生说我割断了腿上的一根血管。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• We have severed diplomatic relations with that country. 我们与那个国家断绝了外交关系。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

5 diplomats   

n.外交官( diplomat的名词复数 )；有手腕的人，善于交际的人

参考例句：

• These events led to the expulsion of senior diplomats from the country. 这些事件导致一些高级外交官被驱逐出境。
• The court has no jurisdiction over foreign diplomats living in this country. 法院对驻本国的外交官无裁判权。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 venues   

n.聚集地点( venue的名词复数 )；会场；（尤指）体育比赛场所；犯罪地点

参考例句：

• The band will be playing at 20 different venues on their UK tour. 这个乐队在英国巡回演出期间将在20个不同的地点演出。
• Farmers market corner, 800 meters long, 60 meters wide livestock trading venues. 农牧市场东北角，有长800米，宽60米的牲畜交易场地。 来自互联网

7 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

8 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

9 hostility   

n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争

参考例句：

• There is open hostility between the two leaders.两位领导人表现出公开的敌意。
• His hostility to your plan is well known.他对你的计划所持的敌意是众所周知的。

10 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

11 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

12 heeds   

n.留心，注意，听从( heed的名词复数 )v.听某人的劝告，听从( heed的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• You should never fight the band that heeds you. 从来不要攻击那些注意你行动的帮伙们。 来自互联网
• He who ignores discipline and shame, but whoever heeds correction is honored. 弃绝管教的、必致贫受辱．领受责备的、必得尊荣。 来自互联网