A United State wrestling team is to visit Iran for the first time since the Islamic Revolution nearly two decades ago. The Iranian official news agency, IRNA, said the US wrestling federation had informed Iranian authorities that it would send five wrestlers and five officials to an international wrestling contest in Tehran next month. Meanwhile a powerful group of radical and moderate deputies in the Iranian parliament have backed President Khatami's call for a rapprochement with Washington - which was made in a televised address to the American people last week. Here is a report by the BBC's Iranian affairs reporter, Sadeq Saba:

President Khatami's call for cultural exchanges between the peoples of Iran and the United States as a first step towards improving relations between the two enemies appears to be bearing fruit.

After the weekend announcement that Washington will consider a possible easing of visa restrictions for Iranians, now comes the so-called wrestling diplomacy.

The Iranian official news agency says that the American free-style wrestling team will take part in an international wrestling contest in Tehran next month, commemorating the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. During the past two decades, the Americans have always refrained from sending sports teams to Iran, although Iranian teams competed in the United States.

A State Department official has reportedly said that wrestling contests between the two countries could help Tehran and Washington to get closer. Meanwhile, rival factions in Iran are still hotly debating President Khatami's conciliatory remarks towards Washington.

While the rival conservatives are continuing their harsh criticism of Mr Khatami, an alliance of radical and moderate deputies in the Iranian parliament have, surprisingly, come to his support. The leader of the faction has openly backed resumption of ties with the US, saying it serves the national interests of Iran.
 

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