LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Quoting an Iranian diplomat, the Journal said that the Iranian cleric had written to Obama in recent weeks in response to a presidential letter sent in October.Obama's letter suggested the possibility of U.S.-Iranian cooperation in fighting Islamic State if a nuclear deal is reached, the Journal said, quoting the diplomat.

According to the diplomat, Khamenei's letter was said to be "respectful" but noncommittal. Both the White House and the Iranian mission at the United Nations have declined all comment."The letters of the American president have a history of some years, and in some instances, there have been responses to these letters," Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, in November, said. Shamkhani added that there were "contradictions" between policies laid out in the letters and U.S. actions.

 
Despite its airing of grievances, the first letter in many ways began in earnest the recent historic thaw after more than 30 years of frozen U.S.-Iranian ties, because Mr. Khamenei also did not rule out the possibility of accommodation with the U.S.

That omission, coupled with the existence of the letter itself has fueled initial White House hopes for some sort of breakthrough in relations on Mr. Obama's watch.

Khamenei has said that he could accept a compromise in the nuclear talks. Obama gave his strongest defense yet of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's decision to negotiate with the West, a policy opposed by powerful hardliners in Iran.

The nuclear talks with the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany intend to reach an accord that would ease Western concerns that Tehran could pursue a covert nuclear weapons program, in return for the lifting of sanctions that have hindered the Iranian economy.

Negotiators have set a June 30 final deadline for an accord. Western officials say they aim to agree on the substance of such a deal by March.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is due to address the U.S. Congress on Iran on March 3, has vowed "to foil this bad and dangerous agreement."