Obama says he wants progress with Iran by year's end

US President Barack Obamasaid on Monday he saw no reasons to set an artificial deadline for diplomacy with Iran, but the United States would like to see progress with Tehran by the end of the year.

Obama, after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said he was not closing off a "range of steps" against Iran, including sanctions, if it continues its nuclear program, which Washington believes is aimed at producing an atomic weapon but Tehran says is for peaceful purposes. (Reuters)