President Ahmadinejad spoke to The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly.

President also discussed solutions for the Syrian civil war, dismissed the question of Iran's nuclear ambition and claimed that despite western sanctions his country is better off than it was when he took office in 2005.

"God willing, a new order will come together and we'll do away with everything that distances us," Dr.Ahmadinejad said, "I do believe the system of empires has reached the end of the road. The world can no longer see an emperor commanding it."

Dr.Ahmadinejad argued that the international outcry over Iran's nuclear enrichment program was just an excuse by the West to dominate his country. He claimed that the United States has never accepted Iran's choice of government after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"Everyone is aware the nuclear issue is the imposition of the will of the United States," he said. "I see the nuclear issue as a non-issue. It has become a form of one-upmanship."

Dr.Ahmadinejad said he favored more dialogue, even though negotiations with world powers remain stalled after three rounds of high-level meetings since April.

Dr.Ahmadinejad also proposed forming a new group of 10 or 11 countries to work to end the Syrian civil war. Representatives of the nations in the Middle East and elsewhere would meet in New York "very soon," he said.

He said the so-called contact group hopes to get the Syrian government and opposition to sit across from each other.

"I will do everything in my power to create stability, peace and understanding in Syria," Dr.Ahmadinejad said.

Dr.Ahmadinejad said. "All of these achievements in Iran, though, have been reached under conditions in which we were brought under heavy sanctions."