United States congresswomen have reportedly put forward a request to hold a meeting with female members of Iran's Majlis (parliament).

"US congresswomen have requested a meeting with female members of Iran's Majlis," a member of the Parliament's National Security Commission, Hossein Taqavi, told Fars News Agency on Wednesday.

If held, this would be the first meeting between a group of Washington and Tehran officials on US-Iran relations after the two countries severed ties in 1979.

Earlier in October, Iran made public another official request for talks between American congressmen and Iranian parliamentarians.

While attending the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, Iranian lawmakers reportedly received a letter from US officials on the matter in Washington.

After the announcement, Majlis second Vice-Speaker, Mohammad-Reza Bahonar, said a change in US policy toward Iran is necessary before Majlis can hold talks with the US Congress.

The two countries broke a 27-year diplomatic freeze in May 2007 during Iraq security talks. The two sides have so far held three rounds of negotiations on an ambassadorial level over the issue.

Under President George W. Bush, the US has pursued a carrot-and-stick policy toward Tehran over its nuclear program.

US president-elect Barack Obama, however, has vowed to engage Tehran in direct diplomacy in order to resolve the country's nuclear dispute.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has on many occasions expressed willingness to hold talks with US officials.

Earlier in 2006, the Iranian president wrote an 18-page letter to President Bush that discussed religious values, history and international relations. The letter was widely viewed as a serious approach to the United States for dialogue.

CS/HGH