In a meeting with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon in New York, Rouhani said, "Today’s world is faced with many problems, namely terrorism, violence, and environmental threats.”
"But the biggest problem is the great powers’ hegemony and injustice in today’s world.”
Criticizing some countries’ double standards, the Iranian president said, "When some countries find terrorists’ actions in their interest, choose silence vis-à-vis killing of humans, and when find these actions damaging to themselves, start to retaliate.”
"However, great powers today cannot hide truths from nations.”
The UN chief said, ”Unfortunately, common people have lost trust in the international community’s capability in fighting terrorism, and we seek more serious presence and strategic and constructive role on the part of Iran in this regard.”
Referring to nuclear talks between the Islamic Republic and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council – Russia, China, France, Britain, and the U.S. – plus Germany (P5+1), Rouhani said it is a great mistake to think Iran came to the negotiation table under pressure.
"Iran entered negotiation with serious resolve and in order to serve the interest of itself and others.”
"As long as the Iranian nation’s rights are not damaged, we are prepared for agreement,” added the Iranian president.
Ban praised Iran’s fruitful interaction with the International Atomic Energy Agency and its active participation in negotiations with the P5+1.
Separately, Rouhani said Iran is an influential power in the region and the West must understand this reality.
He made the remarks during a meeting with his French counterpart Francois Hollande at the United Nations headquarters.
Referring to Iran’s talks with the P5+1, Rouhani said, "With the commencement of the talks, when it became clear that Iran has a serious resolve, the atmosphere, which was created against the Iranian nation in the West, dissipated and a real and trust-building atmosphere was created.”
He said the most important message of the talks was that important global issues can be resolved through negotiation.
"These days’ negotiations between Iran and the P5+1 is highly important for building the future, and we hope that, by taking the rights and concerns of the Iranian nation into consideration, the nuclear issue would be resolved in a balanced way and win-win results come about for both sides.”
For his part, the French president acknowledged Iran’s special role in fighting terrorism in the region, and expressed hope that considerable collaboration between the two countries in other fields would follow a comprehensive nuclear agreement.
Rouhani also said political conflicts and wars in the Middle East have hindered efforts made to reach agreements on resolving environmental problems in the region.
"The continuation of political conflicts and war in neighboring countries (of the Middle East) has unfortunately emerged as an obstacle on the way of achieving practical and lasting agreements to settle the regional environmental problems,” President Rouhani said addressing a session of the Climate Change Summit at the United Nations in New York.
He stressed the importance of cooperation among regional countries to solve the environmental problems, particularly the global warming crisis, and said illegal sanctions should not pose a danger to people’s health.
The Iranian president warned that any obstacle to international cooperation for dealing with environmental challenges would be detrimental to international community.
He also expressed the Islamic Republic’s readiness to make constructive contribution to sustainable development in developing nations.
"The Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes cooperation with state and private sectors at national, regional and international levels in order to bolster national measures taken to confront climate change and is committed to facilitating such cooperation through the establishment of joint…firms (with other countries),” Rouhani stated.
Separately, Rouhani said if Iran and world powers reach a long-term nuclear deal that ends sanctions against Tehran, the agreement will open the door to deeper cooperation on regional peace and stability and the fight against terrorism.
The president, who spoke to senior editors ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, said he had no plans to meet U.S. President Barack Obama while in New York City.
"Without a doubt, reaching a final nuclear deal will expand our cooperation, and we can cooperate in various fields including restoring regional peace and stability and fighting against terrorism," he said through an interpreter.
Senior foreign ministry officials from the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran are meeting this week in New York. Officials close to the talks say a deal is unlikely in coming days given deep disagreement on issues such as the scope of Iran's future enrichment program.
"America cannot deny Iran's role in the fight against terrorism," Rouhani said.
The sides have set a Nov. 24 deadline for a long-term agreement that would end sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.
"The talks occurring will clear many things, whether we will be able to reach a final agreement or not," he said. "I believe both sides have reached the conclusion that the continuation of the current condition doesn't benefit anyone.... So why not make strides to reach this agreement?"
"The ground will be paved for further cooperation if the nuclear issue is resolved."
He said Iran was determined to resolve the nuclear issue. "If there is a serious will, we can reach a final agreement in the next two months," Rouhani said. "Our wish is to close this dossier forever."
Washington broke off ties with Iran during a hostage crisis after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Rouhani succeeded Mahmoud Ahmadinejad as president in August 2013, and the two estranged nations have gradually resumed senior-level contacts while remaining deeply suspicious of each other.
Rouhani is on his second visit to New York as the head of Iran's government. He will address the 193-nation General Assembly on Thursday.
The Iranian president questioned the legality of the airstrikes in Syria. "Bombarding a country has a legal process," he said. "It should take place within the framework of the U.N., or that country's leaders should have asked for it to be carried out officially and formally."
Without a UN mandate or formal government request, military interventions "don't have any legal standing", he said.