Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani and prominent Reformist lawmaker Mohammad Reza Aref have reached a consensus on setting up a committee to do preparatory work for what has been dubbed the National Dialogue Plan. The initiative has been discussed in recent months by members of the Hope (Omid) faction, a Reformist parliamentary bloc led by Aref.

As its running theme, the plan encourages a dialogue-based solution to discrepancies and disputes between political groups in a bid to reduce factional tension and sniping.

The fact that Larijani, a Principlist heavyweight, has agreed to join the initiative is particularly promising. A similar call for a national dialogue by former Reformist President Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) earlier this year was deplored and roundly rejected by hard-liners in the Principlist camp.

Khatami had said "nobody should get stuck in the past" while emphasizing to his supporters that this shouldn't be taken as an effort "to appease [political opponents] and forgo our rights." Explaining the timing of his call, Khatami cited concerns over the future of "the country, and its ruling establishment, national interests and prestige." However, Khatami's call was scuttled by skepticism among hard-liners who believed that his inner circle aims to re-enter national politics after being sidelined because of the unrest following the 2009 presidential elections, dubbed the "sedition" in state discourse.