Ahmadinejad dismisses deadline for nuclear deal, says US cannot dominate Mideast

Tehran: Iran's president has dismissed a year-end deadline set by the Obama administration for Tehran to accept a UN-drafted deal to swap enriched uranium for nuclear fuel.

The deal aims to diminish Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium, easing the West's fears that the material could be used to produce a nuclear weapon.

Iran, which denies it seeks to build a bomb, has balked at the deal's terms.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said, "If Iran wanted to make a bomb, we would be brave enough to tell you."

He said the West can give Iran "as many deadlines as they want, we don't care."

Ahmadinejad spoke Tuesday to supporters in the southern city of Shiraz. He lashed out at Washington, saying Iran won't allow the US to dominate the region.