Obama announces he just got off the phone with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani — the first direct communication between Iranian and American leaders since 1979. That puts the government shutdown/debt limit craziness in even starker relief.

It’ll be interesting to see whether Obama actively resists the DC press framing of the government shutdown threat as a Republicans v. Obama fight. It’s a Ted Cruz v. Boehner fight, or a House conservatives v. Senate Republicans fight, or maybe just a Ted Cruz v. everyone fight.

Obama about to make an appearance in the White House briefing room. Watch live.