‘Egypt is past the point of no return’ – US President

Addressing the media, Obama also played down prospects that the Muslim Brotherhood would take a major role in a new government: “I think that the Muslim Brotherhood is one faction in Egypt. They don’t have the support of the majority.”

Obama said it is important not to say that “our only two options are the Muslim Brotherhood or to suppress the Egyptian people.” At the same time, he also acknowledged that the Egyptian banned political and religious group is well-organised.

Obama also said that there are “strains of their ideology that are anti-US”, adding that he had confidence that a representative government the US could work with would emerge if Egypt moves in an “orderly transition process.”

Asked to comment if he can predict whether Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak would step down, Obama said: “only he knows what he’s going to do.”

"The US can't forcefully dictate, but what we can do is say 'The time is now for you to start making a change in your country',” he said adding that Mubarak has already decided he’s not going to run again.”