WASHINGTON // The US president, Barack Obama, has said there is still time to resolve an impasse with Iran over its nuclear programme.
There should be a way for Iran to enjoy "peaceful nuclear power" while meeting international obligations and providing assurances that it is not developing nuclear weapons, he added.
Iran is considering a more confrontational strategy over its nuclear programme, threatening to boost levels of uranium enrichment unless the West agrees to ease the sanctions that have damaged its economy. The US has indicated a willingness to pursue one-on-one talks but no deal has been reached.
During his first White House press conference since being re-elected this month, Mr Obama said he "can't promise that Iran will walk through the door they need to walk through" but added "I very much want to see a diplomatic resolution to the problem".
"I will try to make a push in the coming months to see if we can open up a dialogue between Iran and not just us, but the international community, to see if we can get this thing resolved," he added.
Though he was careful to stress that Washington remains adamantly opposed to letting Iran develop nuclear weapons, he said: "There is still a window of time for us it resolve this diplomatically".
He noted the crippling sanctions imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council and unilateral Western restrictions on Tehran's oil sector and banks, calling them the "toughest sanctions in history".
Iran insists it is developing nuclear energy for peaceful, civilian purposes, but Israel and Western nations fear the programme is a cover for nuclear-weapon development.
Diplomats have warned that Iran is on the threshold of boosting output of material that can be turned into the weapons-grade uranium used in nuclear warheads.
One diplomat said that within days, Tehran could almost double the current level of production of 20-per cent enriched uranium at the heavily fortified Fordo enrichment plant.
"There should be a way in which they can enjoy peaceful nuclear power while still meeting their international obligations and providing clear assurances to the international community that they're not pursuing a nuclear weapon," said Mr Obama.
"I can't promise that Iran will walk through the door that they need to walk through - but that would be very much the preferable option."
Mr Obama denied that talks with Iran were imminent but added: "I think it is fair to say that we want to get this resolved and we're not going to be constrained by diplomatic niceties or protocols if Iran is serious about wanting to resolve this."
RESULTS
Mumbai Indians 181-4 (20 ovs)
Kolkata Knight Riders 168-6 (20ovs)
Mumbai won by 13 runs
Rajasthan Royals 152-9 (20 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab 155-4 (18.4 ovs)
Kings XI Punjab won by 6 wickets
The biog
Family: He is the youngest of five brothers, of whom two are dentists.
Celebrities he worked on: Fabio Canavaro, Lojain Omran, RedOne, Saber Al Rabai.
Where he works: Liberty Dental Clinic
Bio:
Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
Favourite Hobby: Serving poor people
Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Favourite food: Fish and vegetables
Favourite place to visit: London
Neymar's bio
Total club appearances 411
Total goals scored 241
Appearances for Barca 186
Goals scored for Barca 105
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Black Panther
Dir: Ryan Coogler
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o
Five stars
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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What are NFTs?
Are non-fungible tokens a currency, asset, or a licensing instrument? Arnab Das, global market strategist EMEA at Invesco, says they are mix of all of three.
You can buy, hold and use NFTs just like US dollars and Bitcoins. “They can appreciate in value and even produce cash flows.”
However, while money is fungible, NFTs are not. “One Bitcoin, dollar, euro or dirham is largely indistinguishable from the next. Nothing ties a dollar bill to a particular owner, for example. Nor does it tie you to to any goods, services or assets you bought with that currency. In contrast, NFTs confer specific ownership,” Mr Das says.
This makes NFTs closer to a piece of intellectual property such as a work of art or licence, as you can claim royalties or profit by exchanging it at a higher value later, Mr Das says. “They could provide a sustainable income stream.”
This income will depend on future demand and use, which makes NFTs difficult to value. “However, there is a credible use case for many forms of intellectual property, notably art, songs, videos,” Mr Das says.