Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told U.S. President Barack Obama that his government "acted as Israel's lawyer," according to Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu.

Hurriyet Daily News reports that Davutoğlu addressed deputies from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) during the party's gathering in the hot springs retreat of Kızılcahamam near the capital Ankara.

The Turkish FM said Obama had phoned Erdoğan 11 times during the last nine months and a brief encounter took place during one of their conversations, when Obama complained about Turkey's role in Iran's uranium swap deal, asking why Erdoğan protected Iran.

As Davutoğlu said, Erdoğan responded, "I do not protect Iran, but you [the United States] act as Israel's lawyer."