Addressing a recent conference organised in Washington by the American Iranian Council (AIC), a pro-Iranian government lobby that advocates rapprochement between the Islamic Republic and the United States, Senator Biden proposed to meet Iranian lawmakers, if not in Washington, anywhere else.

To pave the way for improvement in Tehran-Washington ties that have been cut in 1979 after revolutionary Iranian students stormed the American embassy in Tehran, taking 55 diplomats and staff as hostage for 444 days, Mr. Biden offered a five-point proposal that includes ending American economic sanctions against Iran, American backing for Iranian membership at the World Trade Organisation and closer co-operation between the two nations on Afghanistan.

"Like in the Islamic Republic where foreign policy is decided by the leader, in the States, it is the President who, assisted by his advisers on national security, formulates it", observed Dr. Shahin Fatemi, a Professor of Economy at the American University of Paris, minimising the importance of Mr. Biden’s proposal.

Mr. Ebrahim Baysalami, a formist deputy and Chairman of the Iranian Committee at the Inter-Parliamentary Union reacted positively, saying that lawmakers in Iran and the United States can have "constructive" dialogue.

"Dialogue between the representatives of the two nations is different from official dealing between the two governments. The views of the MPs and representatives do not necessarily represent official positions of the governments. Any anyhow, no one is against dialogue between the two people and we, as representatives of the Iranian people, we welcome contacts with our American counterparts to melt ice", he said.

Tehran deputy Ali Shakoori-Rad has said: "Dialogue between the Majles and the American Congress, in the post-revolution era, would not be based on the past precedent and it entails especial sensitivities which must be observed".

"The proposal for dialogue is acceptable in principle, especially in those instances where dialogue would not be interpreted as giving advantage [to the other side]. Nothing prohibits meetings between the Majles deputies and the representatives from those countries that we recognise. And such events do not obligate those governments in any way", Mr. Shakkoori-Rad told the daily "Bonyan".

Shakoori-Rad also said: This proposal, made at the threshold of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Morocco, could prompt answers and responses from the participating Iranian MPs in the conference.

He also said that the proposal by the chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee is based on the past precedent, adding: A similar proposal was made by the members of American Congress at the start of the sixth Majles.

"Ten members of the Congress had requested to meet the Majles MMs at any place the latter deemed appropriate. The proposal was discussed at the time, but in view of the existing circumstance, no response was made", he told the new daily.

For her part, Ms Elaheh Koola'i an influential member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Majles said the present relations between the two country does not serve the true interest of American people and does not correspond to America's current war-mongering policies".

"Meeting and dialogue between American and Iranian representatives not only could have wide implications for Iranians and Americans but also for the countries in the region as well as the world. This is under such circumstances when Zionists are trying to paint a bad image of Iran by accusing it of war mongering. In this way, they [Israelis] would wish to pursue their illegitimate interests in the Middle East. Therefore, the lowering of tension in Iran-America relations would, more than anything else, endanger the interests of Zionists", she further added.

But Hojjatoleslam Ali Akbar Motashamipoor, the leader of the pro-Khatami Second Khordad Coalition fraction in the reformist-dominated Majles rejected the proposal, saying that "from Joseph Biden’s remarks we can surmise that Americans persist on pursuing their previous expansionist and bullying policies and would like to impose these policies on other countries, especially Iran".

Dr. Mohammad Reza Khatami, the leader of the Islamic Iran Participation Party also expressed a negative opinion about Mr. Biden’s proposals, saying at the present circumstance, it does not serve Iran’s interests.