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As Congress heads into its long August recess, the White House and the American Israel Public Affairs Committeeare lobbying Democrats hard in anticipation of a September vote on the Iran nuclear deal. But both sides have given those Democrats who are set to oppose them a second option; they are asking them to at least delay announcing their decision until they get back.

The calculation for askingDemocratsto delay their announcementsis defensive:Neither side wants the other to establish momentum that would precipitate a cascade of commitments over the coming weeks

President Barack Obama and other top officials have been in near constant communication withHouse and Senate Democrats,through group and one-on-one interactions, to urge them to support the P5+1 deal with Iran and vote against theresolution of disapprovalput forthTuesdayby House Foreign Affairs Committee ChairmanEd Royce.Bob Corker, Royce's opposite number in the Senate, could introduce a companion version of the disapproval measure as early as later this week.

Members of Congressand theirstaffers tell us that the White House has asked Democratswho are expected to oppose the deal to hold off on announcing their positionuntil September, when Congress will be focused on the agreement. On the other side, AIPACand itslobbyists are now asking members who are leaning toward supporting the agreement to likewise hold off on their announcements until after the recess.

One pro-Israel lobbyist told us that AIPACis asking members who might support the nuclear deal to wait until after the Congressional recess for more information. Between now and Labor Day, Congress may learn much more aboutthe side agreementsreached between the International Atomic Energy Agency and Iranover how inspectors will gain access to suspected sites andverify information about the history of Iran's nuclear program.

There are about two dozen Congressional Democrats who are being targeted heavily by both sides -- either party leaders orprominent figuresin the pro-Israel community who thought to have influence over other the thinking of their colleagues. Chief among them are Senator Charles Schumer of New York, Senate Foreign Relations Committee ranking Democrat Ben Cardin of Maryland, and Jewish Democratic lawmakers such as SenatorRichard Blumenthal of Connecticut.

In an interview, Blumenthal declined to talk about his private conversations with the Obama administration or AIPAC, but he told ushe wont be swayed by either the White Houses political pressure or the $40 million lobbying campaign sponsored by AIPAC and other groups opposed to the deal.

Im going to be spending all of August talking to my constituents because I want to understand what they are thinking, he said. My overriding and single concern is what is the right thing to do for our nation.

Royce told us he isaskinghis Democratic colleagues to consider a bipartisan letter most of them signed earlier this year that laid out four conditions for a good agreement. Royce said on every single one of those conditions, from resolving outstanding questions about the history of Iran's nuclear issues to calling for "anytime, anywhere" inspections of suspected sites, the deal reached in Vienna last month does not meet the standards.

Royce also told us the second case he is making is to look at Iran's foreign meddlingtoday in Gaza, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. "As Iran continues with this aggression I think it potentially will impact the decisions of members of the House of Representatives," he said.

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Democrats Under Pressure to Stay Silent on Iran Deal ...