WASHINGTON (EJP)---In his State of the Union address US President Barack Obama warned Iran on Tuesday the United States would keep up pressure on its nuclear program with "no options off the table".

"America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal. But a peaceful resolution of this issue is still possible, and far better, and if Iran changes course and meets its obligations, it can rejoin the community of nations," the president said.

In his speech to the US Congress, which focused mainly on the economy, Obama also said he was sure that Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad "will soon discover that the forces of change can't be reversed" and said the United States would stand against violence and intimidation in the Middle East and beyond.

He also sought to assuage concerns among Jewish voters in the United States about his stance on Israel.

"Our iron-clad commitment - and I mean iron-clad - to Israel's security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history," he said.