TEHRAN (IRNA) -- President Mahmud Ahmadinejad here Saturday said that despite the injustice of the global arrogance towards the Iranian nation in the past years, today the nation can manage to reach the peaks of progress.

He made the remark at a ceremony held at the Presidential Office, during which selected applicants who filled out the 'Mehr 6' questionnaires were lauded.

The chief executive said that throughout history, the Iranians have always been considered as one of the prominent world nations. Underlining that today Iran is also one of the most respected nations and the creative forerunner of and a model for all world nations, he said, "At present, we are called on from across the world and many students from various countries, in particular from the U.S., contact us and express their interest in learning the views of our nation."

Turning to the repeated calls for interviews by foreign media, reporters and intellectuals to reflect the views and outlooks of the Iranian people, he urged the need for introducing national development to the world as a model nation.

Thanking God Almighty for blessing the youth, young adults and those involved in educational fields, he said that the educational structure of schools should be revised to provide pupils with a chance to get revolutionized as they enter school and study.

Ahmadinejad referred to the pupils' 'Mehr 6' literary contest and said that given the highly talented pupils with high capability to express their thoughts and such a great number of participants in the event (1.65 million), their potentials can be used to improve the educational system.

At the end of the ceremony, the president awarded 31 selected contestants who had filled out the questionnaires correctly.

Meanwhile, the participating pupils exchanged views with the president about the educational problems facing them.