VOA慢速英语:Iranian Presidential Candidates Hold First Debate

Iranian voters are considering which candidate to support in the presidential election on June 14th. The eight approved candidates met Friday in the first of three planned debates. They took turns answering questions about Iran’s economy. Recent government reports say inflation is rising at a rate of over 12 percent a year. The unemployment rate is over 13 percent.
伊朗选民正在考虑6月14日的总统选举中支持哪一位候选人。上周五，八位获得批准的候选人在预定三轮辩论的第一轮中碰面。他们轮流回答了关于伊朗经济的问题。最近的政府报告称，伊朗的通货膨胀率正以每年12%的速度上升。失业率超过了13%。

The two leading candidates appear to be Saeed Jalili, Iran’s chief security official, and the mayor of Tehran, Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf. Some observers say Mr. Jalili is the likely favorite. He has worked in the office of the country’s top leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He is also lead negotiator in nuclear talks with western nations. The United Nations Security Council has passed resolutions against Iran for failing to obey limits on its nuclear program. Iranian oil exports have dropped by almost 50 percent as a result of foreign opposition to the nuclear activities.
领先的两位候选人似乎是伊朗最高安全官员Saeed Jalili以及德黑兰市长Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf。一些观察家称，Jalili先生可能是最受欢迎的人选。他曾在伊朗最高领导人Ayatollah Ali Khamenei的办公室工作过，他也是同西方国家核谈判的首席谈判代表。联合国安理会已经因为伊朗不服从其核计划限制而通过了针对伊朗的决议。由于外国反对伊朗的核活动，其石油出口已经下降了近50%。

Mayor Ghalibaf has been a popular leader. He was able to complete major transportation projects in a weak economy by joining with Chinese companies. He formerly served in the Iran-Iraq war and as national police chief. Earlier this month, rights groups released a recording of his comments about dissidents. He is heard claiming that he ordered police to fire on students during demonstrations.
Ghalibaf市长一直是一位受欢迎的领导者。在经济疲弱时他能够与中国公司合作完成重大的交通项目。他曾在两伊战争服役，并担任过国家警察总长。本月早些时候，人权组织发布了他对持不同政见者的意见记录。据传他下令警察在示威期间对学生开火。

Last week, the Guardian Council barred more than 600 other declared candidates for president from the ballot. The Council is made up of religious and legal experts. Six of its 12 members are appointed by the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei.
上周，宪法监护委员会禁止了其他600多名宣布竞选总统者参选。该委员会是由宗教专家和法律专家组成。其12名成员中有6人由最高领袖哈梅内伊任命。

The group blocked former president Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and all thirty women candidates from appearing on the 2013 presidential ballot. Last week, American Secretary of State John Kerry criticized the restrictions.
该机构禁止了前总统Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani和所有三十位女性候选人参选。上周，美国国务卿约翰•克里对该限制提出了批评。

 “That is hardly an election by standards which most people in most countries judge free, fair, open, accessible, accountable elections.”
“这并非一次大多数国家中的大多数人心目中认为的自由、公平、开放、无限制、负责任的选举。”

On Tuesday, the Committee to Protect Journalists condemned what it called efforts to deny Iranian citizens information before the elections. The following day, United Nations special representative Maina Kiai urged Iran to release more than 40 reporters from jail. His comments came as the Iranian news agency Mehr reported that Iran’s culture minister plans more restrictions on foreign reporters.
周二，记者保护委员会谴责了伊朗在大选前拒绝伊朗公民信息的措施。次日，联合国特别代表麦Maina Kiai督促伊朗从监狱释放40多名记者。他的这番话是针对伊朗通讯社报道称，伊朗文化部长计划对外国记者采取更多限制。

Separately, UN officials said that barring all women candidates violated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
此外，联合国官员称，阻止女性候选人违反了《公民权利和政治权利国际公约》。

Last weekend, exiled Iranians met at Sweden’s parliament building in Stockholm. The opposition group condemned an election process the exiles called “an insult to Iranians.” The gathering was organized by the coalition called United for Democracy in Iran or UDI. Iran’s state-operated media described the UDI call for free elections as an excuse for military intervention in Iran.
上周末，伊朗流亡人士在瑞典斯德哥尔摩议会大厦会面。这个反对组织谴责选举过程是所谓的对伊朗人的侮辱。这次聚会由伊朗民主联盟。伊朗国营媒体称伊朗民主联盟要求自由选举是军事干预伊朗的借口。