VOA标准英语2015--伊朗方面致力于达成最后的核协议

Iranian FM Says Committed to Getting Final Nuclear Deal 伊朗方面致力于达成最后的核协议

NEW YORK—

Iran’s foreign minister said a nuclear deal between his country and the six major world powers is an "opportunity that should not be missed." Speaking at New York University on Wednesday, Mohammad Javad Zarif also addressed the seizure¹ of a Marshall Islands-flagged cargo² ship in the Persian Gulf³ on Tuesday.  

The Iranian foreign minister was upbeat about the framework deal, reached in Switzerland on April 2, which will limit Iran’s nuclear program but lift international sanctions.  He said the parties will be working “non-stop” to reach a final agreement by June 30 and that Iran is committed to the process.

“It’s a good agreement...It’s not a perfect agreement - it’s not perfect for us, it’s not perfect for the United States, it’s not perfect for our European Union partners, but it’s the best we can get.  It’s the best anybody can get," he said. "And it’s balanced in my view now."

The United Nations Security Council has imposed four rounds of targeted sanctions on Iran since 2006 for its nuclear program - which the six powers believe could have a military dimension.  

Although there are some in Tehran who oppose the deal, saying it gives the West access to military sites, the Iranian diplomat⁴ said his government is willing to implement⁵ the Additional Protocol⁶ of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in order to help bolster⁷ international confidence.  Iran has always denied it is seeking to build a nuclear bomb and says it wants only a peaceful nuclear program.

The Additional Protocol would give the international nuclear watchdog agency (IAEA) greater powers of monitoring and verification of Iranian facilities, including the right to visit any nuclear facility, declared or not.

Zarif said if the June 30 final agreement is reached, he expects the Security Council would move to adopt a resolution within a few days to endorse⁸ the deal and set in motion the process for lifting sanctions.

“The resolution will endorse the agreement - will terminate all previous resolutions - including all sanctions; will set in place the termination of EU sanctions and the cessation of application of U.S. sanctions," he said.

There has been resistance by some members of the U.S. Congress to the Iran deal and the lifting of sanctions. They say Tehran can't be trusted because of its threats against Israel and past support for terrorist groups.  Zarif said the United States is bound by international law to follow through with any agreement the Obama administration signs.

“I believe the United States will risk isolating⁹ itself in the world if there is an agreement and it decides to break it," he said.

Zarif also criticized Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu for his constant stance against Iran’s nuclear program.

“It’s laughable, that Netanyahu has become everybody’s non-proliferation guru. It is laughable isn’t it?  He is sitting on 400 - 400 warheads - nuclear warheads - that have been acquired in violation¹⁰ of NPT," he said.

Israel is not a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.  Israel is widely believed to possess nuclear weapons and a facility at Dimona, but does not officially confirm it.  The U.S.-based Arms Control Association estimates that Israel has between 80 and 100 nuclear warheads, with fissile material for up to 200.

On Tuesday, Iranian naval¹¹ forces stopped and boarded a Marshall Islands-flagged ship in the Persian Gulf.  Zarif said it had to do with an old legal matter involving the ship and was not a security-related issue. 

1 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 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。

4 diplomat   

n.外交官，外交家；能交际的人，圆滑的人

参考例句：

• The diplomat threw in a joke, and the tension was instantly relieved.那位外交官插进一个笑话，紧张的气氛顿时缓和下来。
• He served as a diplomat in Russia before the war.战前他在俄罗斯当外交官。

5 implement   

n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行

参考例句：

• Don't undertake a project unless you can implement it.不要承担一项计划，除非你能完成这项计划。
• The best implement for digging a garden is a spade.在花园里挖土的最好工具是铁锹。

6 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

7 bolster   

n.枕垫；v.支持，鼓励

参考例句：

• The high interest rates helped to bolster up the economy.高利率使经济更稳健。
• He tried to bolster up their morale.他尽力鼓舞他们的士气。

8 endorse   

vt.(支票、汇票等)背书，背署；批注；同意

参考例句：

• No one is foolish enough to endorse it.没有哪个人会傻得赞成它。
• I fully endorse your opinions on this subject.我完全拥护你对此课题的主张。

9 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

10 violation   

n.违反(行为)，违背(行为)，侵犯

参考例句：

• He roared that was a violation of the rules.他大声说，那是违反规则的。
• He was fined 200 dollars for violation of traffic regulation.他因违反交通规则被罚款200美元。

11 naval   

adj.海军的，军舰的，船的

参考例句：

• He took part in a great naval battle.他参加了一次大海战。
• The harbour is an important naval base.该港是一个重要的海军基地。