Obama to speak to Jewish leaders in first post-Iran deal meeting

WASHINGTON (JTA) — President Barack Obama will meet with Jewish leaders for the first time since world powers reached a deal with Iran on its nuclear program.

Leaders from an array of Jewish groups will visit the White House on Tuesday afternoon, according to representatives for some of the groups. The meeting will include groups that support and reject the deal, as well as some that have yet to decide.

“On Tuesday the President will meet with organization and community leaders from the American Jewish community to discuss the Iran nuclear deal,” the White House said in a statement. “This meeting follows similar meetings the President held with Jewish community leaders in April as well as numerous engagements that senior administration officials have held with Jewish community organizations and other community stakeholders.”

Jewish Insider first reported the meeting.

Obama will be speaking with the Jewish leaders just after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses American Jews through a webcast convened by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Israel’s government opposes the sanctions relief for nuclear restrictions deal reached July 14 between Iran and six major powers led by the United States. Both sides are targeting Democrats in Congress, who are key to whether Congress disapproves of the deal in the next month-and-a-half. Should Congress disapprove, and should such a law survive Obama’s promised veto, it would kill the deal.

Vice President Joe Biden spoke in a conference call with Jewish leaders shortly after the deal was reached, and Obama spoke last week in a conference call with liberal groups backing the deal, including a number of Jewish groups.

Several senior administration officials also have addressed Jewish groups since the Iran deal was reached. They include Ernest Moniz, the secretary of energy; Wendy Sherman, the undersecretary of state who led the U.S. team in the Iran talks; and Denis McDonough, the White House chief of staff.