barack obama phrased his actions in negotiations with iran as an attempt to ` take the nuclear issue off the table ' .
he insisted the u.s. would stand by israel if it were to come under attack , but acknowledged that his pursuit of diplomacy with tehran has caused strain with the close ally .
iran has agreed to restrict its nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions .
now in his seventh year in office , obama cast the iran talks as part of a broader foreign policy doctrine .