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Iran's president has warned that his government will not back down one iota in its nuclear dispute with the West.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was speaking at a rally marking the 29th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.

He said Western pressure over the nuclear issue was just "playing with pieces of paper".

He said it would be a serious mistake for the UN Security Council to pass a new resolution toughening sanctions over Iran's nuclear programme.

Mr Ahmadinejad also announced that Iran would soon be launching two more rockets into space in preparation for Iran putting a satellite into orbit.

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tehran says the move will be seen outside Iran as deliberately provocative.

A similar launch a week earlier was condemned both by the United States and by Russia.

Mr Ahmadinejad repeated his defiance over the nuclear issue to loud cheers from a huge crowd of supporters.

He went on to attack his critics at home, whom he accused of having a vendetta and of betraying their country.

The US has led Western efforts to stop Iran enriching uranium, fearing it could provide material for a nuclear arms capability, but Iran says its activities are entirely peaceful.

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