The Iranian parliament will reportedly probe into the issue of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's letter to US president-elect Barack Obama.

"Obviously the Majlis (parliament) is very concerned about the president's letter to Obama and will examine the issue within the coming days," said Hamid-Reza Haji-Babaei, a member of the Majlis Presiding Board.

On Thursday, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad congratulated Senator Barack Obama for attracting the majority of votes in the US presidential election.

"I hope that through preferring the real needs of people over the insatiable demands of a selfish and corrupt minority, you would take the chance and write your name as a good president in history," reads the letter.

No other Iranian president has sent such wishes to a US president-elect since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The issue has become a matter of serious concern for the parliament with the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Commission set to address the issue after lawmakers touch on the matter in the open session.

Ahmadinejad has attracted a storm of criticism by sending his letter. Popular Principlist lawmaker Ahmad Tavakkoli earlier lashed out at the president, calling the move 'undefendable'.

"US statesmen have repeatedly shown apathy to unilateral efforts (by President Ahmadinejad) to reopen relations," said the Iranian lawmaker.

Barack Obama reacted cautiously, saying on Friday that his reply would not be a hasty one and that he would not provide an answer in a 'knee-jerk fashion'.

"I am not the president and I won't be until January 20," he said. His reluctance, however, did not prevent him from repeating longstanding US nuclear allegations against Iran.

"Iran's development of nuclear weapons is unacceptable and we have to mount an international effort to prevent that from happening," said the president-elect at his first press conference.

AO/CW/AA