WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is crediting his "smart" diplomacy for recent breakthroughs in the U.S. relationship with Iran.
Obama says a "smart, patient and disciplined approached to the world" has seen results.
Obama spoke from the White House on Sunday, one day after the United Nations certified that Iran had curbed its nuclear program as promised.
The certification triggered the reversal of billions of dollars of international economic sanctions.
Iran also released four Iranian-Americans for seven Iranians in U.S. prisons as part of a prisoner swap. A fifth American detained in Iran was also sent home to the U.S.
Obama says the new approach to Iran helped free the detained Americans.
AP-WF-01-17-16 1559GMT