"The idea of sending a delegation to Iran is one of several under consideration. We have not heard back from the Iranians on it," spokeswoman Claire Buchan said as US President George W. Bush relaxed on his Texas ranch.

Buchan would not confirm that Republican Senator Elizabeth Dole, a former head of the American Red Cross, would lead the delegation or whether sending a Bush family member was in the cards.

"Let's wait and see until the Iranians are receptive to a delegation first before we discuss who might be in," she said.

Earlier, a senior US official said Washington awaited Tehran's response to a proposal for Dole to head to the "axis of evil" nation to discuss broadening US humanitarian assistance after the quake in the city of Bam.

The official said prospects for Iranian approval of the mission -- the latest in a series of US overtures to Iran since the earthquake killed some 30,000 people in the southeastern city -- were unclear and that the trip was far from certain.

"This is an idea that's being looked at, but, frankly, the Iranians aren't jumping on it the way they jumped on the assistance," the official said, referring to Iran's near immediate acceptance of US aid after the quake.

"It's still in play, but we haven't heard back from the Iranians and it would be premature for them to start packing bags," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

TERRA.WIRE