Ahmadinejad Condemns Russia Over Canceled Missile Deal

S-300 surface-to-air missiles

Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad accused Russia today of "selling out" Iran to the United States by canceling a missile deal.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in September canceled the sale of S-300 ground-to-air missiles to Iran because of United Nations Council sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear program.

Ahmadinejad, speaking at a public rally in the northeastern city of Bojnourd, said Iran considered the contract to be still valid and that if Russia did not fulfill it, Iran would seek its rights.

Russia has said it is reimbursing Iran on its advance payments on the deal but would not consider any compensation.

In the same speech, Ahmadinejad said upcoming talks with six world powers about its disputed nuclear program will fail if those nations continue along what he called a "path of arrogance." The crowd responded with chants of, "Death to the U.S."

Tehran has said it is ready to hold new talks with the six powers -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France, and Germany -- sometime after November 10.

Washington and some of its allies suspect Iran's civil nuclear energy program is a cover for a secret effort to develop weapons.

Iran denies having nuclear weapons ambitions and says it only wants to enrich uranium to the lower levels used in producing fuel for power plants.

compiled from agency reports