Vice President Joe Biden says sanctions against Iran that go into effect this summer will devastate the Middle Eastern nation's economy.

The U.S. and European Union passed financial sanctions and oil embargoes against Iran.

Biden spoke to the international Rabbinical Assembly Convention on Tuesday in Atlanta. He said that the White House's support for Israel is "not a matter of debate" and said he's frustrated by critics who have accused the Obama administration of not being fully committed to helping the Jewish state.

The association, the international body for rabbis in Conservative Judaism, has more than 1,600 members world-wide.

As a long-serving member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden gained a reputation as an unyielding supporter of Israel and won the respect of many in the Jewish community.

Tags: Middle East, Vice President Joe Biden, Iran, Rabbinical Assembly, sanctions