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WASHINGTON — In a boon for the Obama administration's efforts to advance the nomination Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York, the first senator to meet privately with Mr. Hagel since he was nominated last week, told President Obama Tuesday that he is optimistic that he could vote for Mr. Hagel's confirmation based on his grilling of Mr. Hagel on a variety of issues pertaining to Israel and Iran.

After a 90-minute meeting in the West Wing of the White House on Monday, Mr. Schumer appeared to be mollified on a number of concerns he has with some votes Mr. Hagel made while serving in the Senate and myriad comments he has subsequently made regarding the nuclear threat of Iran and other matters.

"Based on several key assurances provided by Senator Hagel," Mr. Schumer said in a prepared statement, "I am currently prepared to vote for his confirmation. I encourage my Senate colleagues who have shared my previous concerns to also support him." Mr. Schumer is likely to have influence over many of his Senate colleagues, particularly Democrats, who have been fretting over the nomination. He called Mr. Hagel Tuesday morning to let him know he was prepared to support him.

While the nod is unsurprising, having the support of Mr. Schumer, the most influential Jewish member of the Senate, may be helpful to Mr. Hagel's pursuit of the defense job, effectively neutralizing the idea that he is somehow anti-Israel. His nomination has been met with suspicion, and even outright hostility, among Republicans and Democrats who are strongly aligned with pro-Israel groups.

Mr. Schumer himself appeared cool to the prospect of Mr. Hagel's nomination in December interview on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Of deepest concern to Mr. Schumer and many Israel advocacy groups, are Mr. Hagel's positions on the nuclear threat posed by Iran, particularly his suggestions in the past that a military strike against Iran would be counterproductive. It is a position that is out of step with the Obama administration, which became increasingly hawkish on Iran during the 2012 campaign.

"On Iran, Senator Hagel rejected a strategy of containment and expressed the need to keep all options on the table in confronting that country," Mr. Schumer said. "But he didn't stop there. In our conversation, Senator Hagel made a crystal-clear promise that he would do 'whatever it takes' to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including the use of military force."

As a senator from Nebraska, Mr. Hagel voted against several rounds of sanctions against Iran that ultimately passed the Senate, citing unilateral sanctions are ineffective. On this matter too, Mr. Schumer seemed to find comfort. "Senator Hagel clarified that he 'completely' supports President Obama's current sanctions against Iran," Mr. Schumer said. "He added that further unilateral sanctions against Iran could be effective and necessary."

On nearly every other issue that Mr. Schumer brought up with Mr. Hagel — his views on the militant Islamist groups Hezbollah and Hamas, his prior comments about gays, his use of the term "Jewish lobby" to refer to Israel advocacy groups — all seemed to be tamped down in the meeting.

"I know some will question whether Senator Hagel's assurances are merely attempts to quiet critics as he seeks confirmation to this critical post," Mr. Schumer said. "But I don't think so. Senator Hagel realizes the situation in the Middle East has changed, with Israel in a dramatically more endangered position than it was even five years ago."

On Sunday, Mr. Hagel got a resounding vote of support from a fellow Republican moderate, Colin L. Powell, the former secretary of state, who said on the NBC News program "Meet the Press" that Mr. Hagel was "superbly qualified." Mr. Powell's remarks could well influence many Republicans who have expressed skepticism about his confirmation, although some, like Senator John McCain of Arizona, are almost certain to continue to express opposition.

Mr. Hagel offered to discuss these matters with Mr. Schumer over the phone last week, but the senator wanted to hold out for a discussion in person. Mr. Schumer, who appears to enjoy his role in the catbird seat on the Hagel matter, will also likely help to tamp down criticisms from some groups aligned with Israel, who are not eager to have a fight with the newly re-elected president.