WASHINGTON, Sept 1: Former US president Jimmy Carter heads a list of prominent Americans who want to meet former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami when he arrives in Washington next week.

Mr Carters aides told reporters on Thursday that he had agreed in principle to meet Mr Khatami and the possible timing of a meeting was being worked out.

The US State Department announced earlier this week that it had issued a visa to Mr Khatami, who plans to speak at a UN conference in New York early next week. On Sept 7 he will speak at Washingtons National Cathedral on the role that Islam, Judaism and Christianity can play in shaping peace.

On Thursday, several US politicians joined a Jewish rights group in urging the White House to cancel Mr Khatamis visa.

In a letter to President Bush, Rabbi Marvin Hier, the founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, said allowing Mr Khatami to enter the United States rewards the Iranian leadership for its ‘policy of confrontation and hatred towards the US and her allies.

Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, the leader of the Middle East sub-committee of the House of Representatives, is among those in the US opposed to Mr Khatami’s visit.

“It is mystifying that we should roll out the red carpet to a person who has incited violence against civilians and who has expressed incendiary rhetoric against the United States and our allies,” she said in a statement.

Mr Khatami will be one of the most senior Iranian figures to visit the US since 1979.