Obama cites 'personal interest' in locking down Iran deal

Says if Iran manages to build a nuclear weapon in the future, it would be his name on the agreement

President Barack Obama says he has a personal stake in ensuring that negotiations with Iran produce an agreement that keeps Tehran from producing a nuclear weapon over the long term.

He says in an interview with The Atlantic that if Iran has a nuclear weapon in 20 years it will be his name on the agreement.

Critics of an agreement say the president is so determined to burnish his legacy that he will accept a less-than-ironclad commitment from Iran. Israel and some Persian Gulf allies worry Iran may simply be willing to delay building a nuclear weapon in order to have economic sanctions against it lifted.

But Obama and his aides say the realisation that it could damage his legacy is why he will pursue a strong and enforceable agreement.