State Dept. blasts Russia's missile deal with Iran
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Referring to Russia as a friend and partner, the Bush administration on Monday still criticized a proposed deal to sell short-range, surface-to-air missiles to Iran.
State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said, "We certainly do not feel that this is a sale that would serve the interests of us or the region."
Ereli said Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns made the point in talks with Russian officials last week in Moscow.
"It's important to remember and underscore that Iran is a state sponsor of terror," Ereli said. "They have engaged in actions that we think are hostile and unhelpful."