US President Barack Obama today thanked his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai on his agreeing to stand for a run-off in elections in Afghanistan. Obama told White House reporters at joint media briefing with the visiting Iraqi Prime Minister of Iraq Noori al-Maliki that it would be a step towards formation of a credible government. The White House later said that during the telephone conversation with Karzai, Obama underscored that this decision was in the best interests of the Afghan people.<br/><br/>Obama also received an update from US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Einkenberry on developments in the country.