This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

The next international talks on Iran's nuclear program take place this month in Moscow. The talks come as Russia continues to oppose missile-defense plans designed to answer a possible nuclear threat from Iran.

The United States and the European Union believe that a goal of Iran's uranium enrichment program is to possess nuclear weapons. The Iranian government says it only wants to use its enriched uranium for peaceful purposes, such as producing electricity.

This April 9, 2012 photo provided by the Institute for Science and International Security, ISIS shows suspected cleanup activities at a building alleged to be used for nuclear weapon related tests in the Parchin military center.

Talks between Iran and six world powers have gone on for years. The six countries are the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

The latest two-day meeting took place in Baghdad last month. There was very little progress. Negotiators agreed to meet in Moscow in the middle of June.

The common thinking is that Russian economic interests in Iran have led Russia to be a strong supporter of Iran. But many experts say Russia has taken a stronger position on Iran during the past few years.

Robert Legvold of Columbia University says one reason was what American officials have called the reset in relations with Russia. Mr. Legvold says that does not mean there are no disagreements between the United States and Russia over Iran. He says the possibility of some kind of military attack on Iran makes the Russians nervous.

ROBERT LEGVOLD: "And the Russians are very antsy about the idea of a military option, whether it's Israel that executes it or whether it is some kind of a U.S. option, or the U.S. with Israel together. They also continue to push much harder on the diplomatic option rather than further tightening of sanctions."

But Russia has voted in the past for economic sanctions against Iran in the United Nations. And Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus at Princeton University and New York University, says that is not all Russia has done.

STEPHEN COHEN: "Russia cancelled a deal it had with the Iranian government to supply it with anti-aircraft missiles, the kind of anti-aircraft missiles that Iran would need to defend itself if it was attacked by Israel or the United States, which remains, by the way, on at least the theoretical agenda. These were enormous concessions by Moscow."

Experts say one area where Russia will not compromise is missile defense. This American-led idea is tied to the possible nuclear threat from Iran. The Obama administration has proposed deployment of anti-missile interceptors on navy ships at sea. There also would be land-based versions of these anti-missile missiles. Some would be sent to former Warsaw Pact countries in Eastern Europe.

Russia has always opposed American plans for a missile defense system in Europe. Russian officials see it as aimed against Russia. Robert Legvold at Columbia University says Russia's main objection is tied to the last part of the missile defense plan. That part, known as Phase Four, is set for deployment in twenty-twenty.

ROBERT LEGVOLD: "The problem with Phase Four -- and we begin moving that way with Phase Three -- is that that is an intercontinental ballistic missile system designed to defend the entire continent, not merely what's called theater systems, which is what the shorter-range systems are. And those, theoretically, depending on where they are deployed, could be something of a threat to the Russian nuclear deterrent."

NATO leaders restated their support for the missile defense plan when they met last month in Chicago. And that's IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English. I'm Steve Ember.

伊朗核问题以及导弹防御系统

This is IN THE NEWS in VOA Special English.

这里是美国之音慢速英语新闻报道。

The next international talks on Iran's nuclear program take place this month in Moscow. The talks come as Russia continues to oppose missile-defense plans designed to answer a possible nuclear threat from Iran.

就伊朗核问题的下一次谈判将于本月在莫斯科举行。而会谈之际，俄罗斯仍在继续反对旨在应对伊朗核威胁的导弹防御计划。

The United States and the European Union believe that a goal of Iran's uranium enrichment program is to possess nuclear weapons. The Iranian government says it only wants to use its enriched uranium for peaceful purposes, such as producing electricity.

美国和欧盟认为，伊朗铀浓缩计划旨在拥有核武器。伊朗政府则说，自己只是想把高浓缩铀用于和平目的，例如发电。

Talks between Iran and six world powers have gone on for years. The six countries are the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany and Russia.

伊朗与世界六大强国之间的谈判已经持续多年。这六个国家是指美国、英国、中国、法国、德国以及俄罗斯。

The latest two-day meeting took place in Baghdad last month. There was very little progress. Negotiators agreed to meet in Moscow in the middle of June.

最近一次为期两天的会谈于上月在巴格达举行，但进展甚微。谈判代表们同意六月中旬在莫斯科会面(继续谈判)。

The common thinking is that Russian economic interests in Iran have led Russia to be a strong supporter of Iran. But many experts say Russia has taken a stronger position on Iran during the past few years.

一般认为，俄罗斯在伊朗的经济利益使其成为伊朗的坚定支持者。但许多专家表示，在过去几年里，俄罗斯在伊朗问题已经采取了更为强硬的立场。

Robert Legvold of Columbia University says one reason was what American officials have called the reset in relations with Russia. Mr. Legvold says that does not mean there are no disagreements between the United States and Russia over Iran. He says the possibility of some kind of military attack on Iran makes the Russians nervous.

哥伦比亚大学的罗伯特·莱格沃尔德(Robert Legvold)表示，原因之一是美国官员曾经呼吁重启俄美关系。莱格沃尔德表示，这并不意味着在俄美之间就伊朗问题没有任何分歧。他说，对伊朗进行某种军事攻击的可能性使得俄罗斯非常紧张。

ROBERT LEGVOLD: "And the Russians are very antsy about the idea of a military option, whether it's Israel that executes it or whether it is some kind of a U.S. option, or the U.S. with Israel together. They also continue to push much harder on the diplomatic option rather than further tightening of sanctions."

莱格沃尔德：“俄罗斯对选择军事行动这种想法非常不安，无论是以色列出手，还是美国，或是这两国联合采取军事行动。俄罗斯仍在继续推动更为艰难的外交努力，而不是进一步收紧制裁。”

But Russia has voted in the past for economic sanctions against Iran in the United Nations. And Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus at Princeton University and New York University, says that is not all Russia has done.

但是俄罗斯过去在联合国投票支持了对伊朗的经济制裁。普林斯顿大学和纽约大学的名誉教授斯蒂芬·科恩(Stephen Cohen)表示，这还不是俄罗斯做的所有事情。

STEPHEN COHEN: "Russia cancelled a deal it had with the Iranian government to supply it with anti-aircraft missiles, the kind of anti-aircraft missiles that Iran would need to defend itself if it was attacked by Israel or the United States, which remains, by the way, on at least the theoretical agenda. These were enormous concessions by Moscow."

科恩：“俄罗斯取消了一项和伊朗政府达成的，向伊朗提供防空导弹的协议。如果伊朗遭到以色列或美国的攻击，它需要使用这种防空导弹保卫自己。顺便说一下，这种攻击至少理论上存在。这是莫斯科做出的巨大让步。”

Experts say one area where Russia will not compromise is missile defense. This American-led idea is tied to the possible nuclear threat from Iran. The Obama administration has proposed deployment of anti-missile interceptors on navy ships at sea. There also would be land-based versions of these anti-missile missiles. Some would be sent to former Warsaw Pact countries in Eastern Europe.

专家表示，俄罗斯不会妥协的一个领域是导弹防御系统。这一由美国主导的计划和可能来自伊朗的核威胁有关。奥巴马政府已经提出在海军舰艇上部署反导拦截系统。这种反导导弹还存在路基版。其中一些路基版反导导弹就被部署到东欧的前华沙条约国家。

Russia has always opposed American plans for a missile defense system in Europe. Russian officials see it as aimed against Russia. Robert Legvold at Columbia University says Russia's main objection is tied to the last part of the missile defense plan. That part, known as Phase Four, is set for deployment in twenty-twenty.

俄罗斯一直反对美国在欧洲部署导弹防御系统的计划。俄罗斯官员认为它旨在针对俄罗斯。哥伦比亚大学的莱格沃尔德说，俄罗斯主要反对的是导弹防御系统的最后一部分，及常说的第四阶段，它将于2020年开始部署。

ROBERT LEGVOLD: "The problem with Phase Four -- and we begin moving that way with Phase Three -- is that that is an intercontinental ballistic missile system designed to defend the entire continent, not merely what's called theater systems, which is what the shorter-range systems are. And those, theoretically, depending on where they are deployed, could be something of a threat to the Russian nuclear deterrent."

莱格沃尔德：“第四阶段以第三阶段为基础，第四阶段的问题在于，它是一种洲际弹道导弹系统，旨在保卫整个大陆，而不仅仅是一种被称为战区系统的短程导弹系统。从理论上来说，它可能威胁到俄罗斯的核威慑力量，具体取决于它部署到哪里。”

NATO leaders restated their support for the missile defense plan when they met last month in Chicago.

北约领导人上月在芝加哥会面时再次重申了他们对导弹防御系统的支持。