the obama administration stepped up its lobbying campaign on capitol hill today to persuade lawmakers not to pass any legislation that could hamper prospects for negotiating a final deal with iran to curb its nuclear program .
administration officials as high up the rung as the president himself last week made calls to more than 130 federal lawmakers , urging them to support the deal secretary of state john kerry negotiated with iran , and , at the very least , not to meddle in foreign affairs .