Since both countries had tested nuclear weapons only three years earlier, the confrontation, which dragged on for months, was, to put it mildly, an alarming one.

自从两个国家仅仅是在三年前才开始进行的核试验以来，二者之间拖延了数月的对抗——说得温和一点——就是一个令人担忧的问题。

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It has been shown by history that on the Middle Eastissue, biased and short-sighted mediation would only escalate tension, harm mutual trust, trigger confrontation and lead to endless troubles.

历史表明，在中东问题上，任何偏袒和短视的调解行动只会加剧矛盾，有害互信，引发对抗，后患无穷。

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And a confrontation over spending would only highlight the fact that Republicans won big last year largely by promising to protect Medicare, then promptly voted to dismantle the program.

在开支问题上出现的对抗只会说明这样一个事实：去年共和党主要通过承诺保护“老年医保”计划而赢得去年的中期选举，获胜后却立即要投票肢解这项计划。

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Confrontation will only lead to further confrontation.

BBC: 'Close to danger': Voices from Moscow

Many experts believe Tehran was using today's talks only to drag out its confrontation with the west over its nuclear program.

NPR: Iran Refuses Key Condition in Russia Nuclear Talks

But some experts say Iran is only interested in using the talks to prolong the confrontation.

NPR: Iran, Russia Prepare for Talks on Nuclear Fuel