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 "They've got a chance to get right with the world," Obama said in
the interview, which was taped at the White House on Dec. 18 and is
set to air this week.
More than a year ago, Iran agreed to an interim plan to halt
higher-level uranium enrichment in exchange for a limited easing in
financial sanctions pending negotiations on a long-term deal. Those
talks have now been extended to next June.
Iran has said its nuclear program is for peaceful energy use, but
the United States and five other powers want to make sure that
Tehran cannot quickly develop nuclear weapons.
Obama told NPR that Iran should seize the chance of a deal that
could lift crippling sanctions.
 "Because if they do, there's incredible talent and resources and
sophistication inside of Iran and it would be a very successful
regional power that was also abiding by international norms and
international rules - and that would be good for everybody," he
said.
Obama insisted a nuclear deal was possible, although Vice President
Joe Biden earlier this month said he thought there was a "less than
even shot" of an agreement.
Obama said he recognized that Iran has "legitimate defense concerns"
after it "suffered from a terrible war with Iraq" in the 1980s. But
he criticized Tehran for its "adventurism, the support of
organizations like Hizbollah, the threats they've directed at
Israel."
Asked whether he would use his last two years in office to help
rebuild war-torn countries, Obama said it was up to countries like
Libya, Syria and Iraq to take the lead.
"We can help, but we can't do it for them," Obama said. "I think the
American people recognize that. There are times here in Washington
where pundits don't; they think you can just move chess pieces
around the table.
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"And whenever we have that kind of hubris, we tend to get burned,"
he said.
Obama rejected the idea of "devoting another trillion dollars" to
sending U.S. combat troops to fight Islamic State militants in Iraq.
"We need to spend a trillion dollars rebuilding our schools, our
roads, our basic science and research here in the United States," he
said.
Obama said he hoped to be able to work with Congress on shared
economic goals. But he said he expected Republicans would pass some
bills he will oppose, particularly on health care and the
environment.
"I haven't used the veto pen very often since I've been in office,"
Obama said. "Now I suspect there are going to be some times where
I've got to pull that pen out."
(Reporting by Roberta Rampton; Editing by David Storey and Dan
Grebler)
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