奧巴馬 伊核協議將避免中東地區核競賽

Six world powers and Iran struck one of the most significant post-cold war diplomatic deals yesterday, reversing almost a decade of economic isolation for the Islamic republic in return for limits on its nuclear programme.

六個世界大國昨日與伊朗達成的協議堪稱冷戰後最重大的外交協議之一，逆轉了這個伊斯蘭共和國近10年的經濟孤立，以換取對伊朗核計劃的限制。

If it survives objections of opponents in Washington and Tehran, the deal to end a 12-year nuclear-stand-off is expected to unfreeze more than $100bn in Iranian assets and prompt a flood of investment while stunting the country’s ability to make a nuclear bomb for at least a decade.

如果這份協議在華盛頓和德黑蘭分別經受住反對者的反對，它將結束長達12年的核對峙，解凍逾1000億美元的伊朗資產，釋放一股投資洪流，同時在至少10年裏阻礙該國發展製造核彈的能力。

Barack Obama defended what is the boldest gamble of his presidency as a “comprehensive long-term deal” with Iran that will head-off “a nuclear arms race in the Middle East”. Facing congressional scrutiny and criticism from Republican presidential contenders,Mr Obama vowed to veto any legislation that stopped implementation of the accord. “I believe it would be irresponsible to walk away from this deal,” he said.

巴拉克攠巴馬(Barack Obama)爲他總統任期內的最大膽賭博進行辯護，稱與伊朗達成的這項“全面長期的協議”，將阻止“中東地區的核軍備競賽”。面對國會的吹毛求疵和共和黨總統候選人競爭者的批評，奧巴馬誓言要否決任何阻止執行該協議的立法。“我相信拒絕接受這份協議將是不負責任的，”他說。

Hassan Rouhani, Iran’s president, pictured below, said the deal “opens a new chapter” in its international relations, putting an end to “wrong, unfair and inhumane” sanctions. “It is the end of injustice to the Iranian nation and beginning of new co-operation in the world,” he said.

伊朗總統哈桑脠哈尼(Hassan Rouhani)表示，這一協議爲該國的國際關係“開啓了新篇章”，爲“錯誤、不公平和不人道的”制裁畫上了句號。“這是伊朗民族所遭遇的不公正的結束，世界新合作的開始，”他說。

Capping two years of negotiations, the deal will place hard limits on Tehran’s nuclear activities and, in a matter of months, begin to reconnect the $400bn Iranian economy with the world.

這份協議結束了兩年的談判，它將對德黑蘭的核活動施加剛性限制，同時將在數月後開始將4000億美元的伊朗經濟與世界重新接軌。

Under the deal, by early 2016 the key economic sanctions against Iran would be lifted, breathing life into its financial system and energy market. Sanctions relief will be triggered by Iran’s verified compliance with measures to wind back its nuclear plans and introduce close international monitoring. Oil prices fell more than 2 per cent on the news.

根據協議，對伊朗的重要經濟制裁到2016年年初將被解除，向該國金融體系和能源市場注入生命力。解除制裁的先決條件是伊朗被驗證履行了協議，採取措施逆轉其核計劃，並引入密切的國際監測。達成協議的消息傳出後，油價下跌逾2%。

If the agreement holds it will be the first case in which a country subject to chapter seven sanctions by the UN Security Council has exited them through diplomacy rather than war.

如果這份協議得到執行，那將是根據《聯合國憲章》第七章受到聯合國安理會(UN Security Council)制裁的國家首次通過外交（而非戰爭）結束制裁。

But its terms were decried by some as an egregious failure of judgment. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, called the agreement a “historic mistake for the world”. Jeb Bush, a leading Republican presidential candidate, said the deal was “appeasement”.

但是該協議的條款被一些人譴責爲令人震驚的誤判。以色列總理本雅明蔠呑尼亞胡(Benjamin Netanyahu)稱該協議是“世界的歷史性錯誤”。共和黨主要總統候選人競爭者傑布布什(Jeb Bush)表示，這一協議是“綏靖政策”。

In Iran, both reformists and conservatives welcomed the deal, regarding it as a victory that will turn Iran into a regional power. Hardliners remained largely quiet because of the difficulty in opposing an agreement endorsed by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader and ultimate decision maker.

在伊朗，改革派和保守派都對這份協議表示歡迎，視其爲一個勝利，將讓伊朗成爲地區大國。強硬派基本保持沉默，因爲他們明白自己難以反對伊朗最高領袖和最終決策者阿亞圖拉阿里哈梅內伊(Ayatollah Ali Khamenei)已經拍板的協議。