Obama congratulates Erdogan on becoming Turkey's first directly elected president

President Barack Obama has discussed the situation in Iraq with the leaders of Turkey and Canada, the White House said, adding that Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed on the importance of closely cooperating on the situation in Iraq, as well as on Syria.

Obama also congratulated Erdogan on becoming Turkey's first directly elected president, a step the US president says gives him "an historic opportunity to further move Turkey forward."