President Obama said he and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke by phone Friday, marking the first president-to-president communication since 1979.

Mr. Obama said he and Mr. Rouhani spoke about Iran’s nuclear program and said they would both try to pursue a deal that would defuse a potential crisis over the U.S.’s belief that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.

“I do believe that there is the basis for a resolution,” Mr. Obama said, though he warned of difficulties.

Mr. Obama said the challenges are underscored by the fact that this was the first direct communication between a U.S. president and an Iranian president since 1979, when the Shah was overthrown and the Islamic Republic was installed.

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