VOA标准英语2015--Hardline Stance on Iran Nuclear Deadline Could Be Pressure Tactic

Hardline Stance on Iran Nuclear Deadline Could Be Pressure Tactic¹

STATE DEPARTMENT—

As the March 24 deadline nears for Iran nuclear negotiators to agree on the fundamental structure of a final deal, both the U.S. and Iran increasingly have been vocal² in saying they do not favor another overall extension in negotiations³.

There is debate, however, over whether the U.S. and Iran are actually taking more hard-line positions over the final July deadline or if they are trying to use their public assertions to pressure the other side.

As world powers involved in the Iran nuclear talks work to secure a deal that addresses Western concerns about Tehran’s ability to develop nuclear weapons, and Iran’s desires for sanctions relief, both the U.S. and Iran are saying they do not favor talks beyond July 1.

President Barack Obama made that point clear during an appearance with German Chancellor⁴ Angela Merkel, this week.

“At this juncture⁵, I don't see a further extension being useful if they have not agreed to the basic formulation and the bottom line that the world requires to have confidence that they're not pursuing a nuclear weapon,” said Obama.

At a security conference in Germany this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif went further, saying even if there is no agreement at all, he did not believe it would be, as he put it, the “end of the world.”

“I do not believe another extension is in the interests of anybody, as I did not believe this extension was either necessary or useful,” said Zarif.

Strategic or actual?

But these hardline stances could be more about strategy, according to nuclear policy analyst⁶ James Acton, who works at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “This is largely a negotiating tactic. I think that each side is trying to put pressure on the other side to make an agreement.”

But Acton said the strategy has its flaws. “The problem with this strategy is it is very hard to make this threat credible,” he said.

Non-proliferation specialist Kelsey Davenport said both the U.S. and Iran want a deal within this second extension because of mounting domestic pressures.

“In the United States, there is this idea that Iran is just buying for time, that they are not serious about a deal, that they may be covertly⁷ pursuing a nuclear weapons program. So, I think both sides realize that they need to cinch this deal before the hardliners gain momentum⁸.”

One of the sticking points in the talks has been uranium-enrichment levels. Western negotiators want a deal that assures them that Iran cannot use its nuclear facilities to develop weapons.

Seeking relief

As they seek a resolution on this issue, Iran has become increasingly vocal in its calls for immediate⁹ relief from sanctions ... if there is a deal.

Both sides stand to lose “tremendously” if these negotiations fall apart, said Acton.

“Iran loses because it will lose sanctions relief and there is a risk of military action, and the P5 + 1 [five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council and Germany] loses if negotiations fall apart because all of the constraints¹⁰ on Iran’s nuclear program will evaporate.”

A diplomatic solution will not be perfect, said Acton, but could be what he calls the “least bad solution” available.

1 tactic   

n.战略，策略；adj.战术的，有策略的

参考例句：

• Reducing prices is a common sales tactic.降价是常用的销售策略。
• She had often used the tactic of threatening to resign.她惯用以辞职相威胁的手法。

2 vocal   

adj.直言不讳的；嗓音的；n.[pl.]声乐节目

参考例句：

• The tongue is a vocal organ.舌头是一个发音器官。
• Public opinion at last became vocal.终于舆论哗然。

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 chancellor   

n.(英)大臣；法官；(德、奥)总理；大学校长

参考例句：

• They submitted their reports to the Chancellor yesterday.他们昨天向财政大臣递交了报告。
• He was regarded as the most successful Chancellor of modern times.他被认为是现代最成功的财政大臣。

5 juncture   

n.时刻，关键时刻，紧要关头

参考例句：

• The project is situated at the juncture of the new and old urban districts.该项目位于新老城区交界处。
• It is very difficult at this juncture to predict the company's future.此时很难预料公司的前景。

6 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

7 covertly   

adv.偷偷摸摸地

参考例句：

• Naval organizations were covertly incorporated into civil ministries. 各种海军组织秘密地混合在各民政机关之中。 来自辞典例句
• Modern terrorism is noteworthy today in that it is being done covertly. 现代的恐怖活动在今天是值得注意的，由于它是秘密进行的。 来自互联网

8 momentum   

n.动力，冲力，势头；动量

参考例句：

• We exploit the energy and momentum conservation laws in this way.我们就是这样利用能量和动量守恒定律的。
• The law of momentum conservation could supplant Newton's third law.动量守恒定律可以取代牛顿第三定律。

9 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

10 constraints   

强制( constraint的名词复数 )； 限制； 约束

参考例句：

• Data and constraints can easily be changed to test theories. 信息库中的数据和限制条件可以轻易地改变以检验假设。 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• What are the constraints that each of these imply for any design? 这每种产品的要求和约束对于设计意味着什么？ 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓