Obama, Erdogan Support Syrian People’s Democracy Rights

U.S. President Barack Obama spoke by telephone Friday with Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan about the situation in Syria and Iran's nuclear program, the White House said.

"They agreed that the U.S. and Turkey should continue to support the legitimate demands for democracy for the Syrian people and condemned the brutal action of the Assad regime," it said in a statement.

"The two leaders discussed Iran's nuclear program and how Iran should engage with the international community in this regard," it said.

The conversation -- their first of the New Year -- comes amid escalating tensions with Iran over its nuclear programs and diplomatic efforts to step up the pressure on the Syrian regime of President Bashar Assad to stop the killing of anti-government protesters.

The White House said Obama and Erdogan also discussed the democratic transition in the Middle East and North Africa.