TEHRAN - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said that the Islamic Republic of Iran, which is ruled by a supreme jurisprudent, is the most progressive and democratic country in the world.

The Islamic Republic of Iran faces no insurmountable problem thanks to the presence of the Supreme Leader, Ahmadinejad stated during a televised interview broadcast live on Iranian television on Sunday night.
Problems can be resolved through referring to the Leader, he added.
“Today our mission is to introduce (Iran’s) system, which is ruled by vali-e faqiha (supreme jurisprudent), as a model to the world,” Ahmadinejad said.
The Iranian president added, “I regard it as my duty to support our beloved Leader and the principle of velayat-e faqih (rule of the supreme jurisprudent).”
Outsiders should not be allowed to manipulate popular uprisings
Commenting on the pro-democracy protests taking place in the Middle East and North Africa, Ahmadinejad said that outsiders should not be allowed to manipulate the popular uprisings.
The Islamic Republic of Iran shoulders certain responsibilities toward other nations in this regard and is fulfilling them tactfully, he stated.
He added, “Our historic mission is to support divine causes, the real demands of nations, justice, and human dignity and to stand against the Zionist regime and the domination of the United States over the region.”
But justice will prevail in the world at long last, Ahmadinejad stated.
U.S. bloc is main source of terrorism
Elsewhere in his remarks, the president said that Iran regards the United States and its allies as the main source of terrorism, and “we have documentation.”
The terrorist groups that are carrying out terrorist activities in the region are being funded by the U.S. and certain other Western countries, he asserted.
Commenting on the International Conference on Global Alliance against Terrorism for a Just Peace, which opened in Tehran on Saturday and closed on Sunday, Ahmadinejad said that Iran deemed it necessary to initiate a “sound” movement for the global campaign against terrorism at this juncture.
However, the cooperation of all countries is required to root out the phenomenon of terrorism, he stated.
Administration, Majlis may have differences of opinion
In reply to a question about the disagreement between the administration and the Majlis over the proposal to merge eight ministries into four ministries, Ahmadinejad said, “It is normal that the administration and the Majlis may have some differences of opinion.”
“(However), the representatives of the administration and the Majlis express their opinions to help resolve problems and not to create problems,” he added.
Ahmadinejad added that downsizing the government is in the national interests.
‘I am caretaker of Oil Ministry’
Ahmadinejad also replied to a question about the dismissal of Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi, whose ministry is to be merged with the Energy Ministry.
“I am currently the caretaker of the Oil Ministry,” he said.
“Iran’s presidency of OPEC is a legal status and has nothing to do with an individual,” Ahmadinejad added.
“The interests of individuals should be sacrificed to serve the interests of the country, the nation, and the revolution,” he observed.
Administration not interfering in parliamentary elections
Asked about the claims that the administration is interfering in the procedure for the 2012 parliamentary elections, the Iranian president said, “No single person from the administration has the right to interfere in the elections.”
He went on to say that the subsidy reform plan has been successfully implemented over the past five months.
Commenting on the fact that much less bread is being wasted than before, he said that the consumption pattern of bread has improved, and Iran has become an exporter of wheat.