Well before he became Vice President, Senator Joe Biden addressed the need for exchange, people-to-people diplomacy, and direct engagement between the United States and Iran. Speaking at a 2002 American Iranian Council event in Washington, DC, Biden stressed the importance of the work that the AIC and other organizations have done.

"We should continue to encourage citizen exchanges. A two-track circuit has developed in recent years and it’s important to keep it going. Organizations such as the American Iranian Council, the Open Society Institute, the Nixon Center, they’ve all played a critical role, and I applaud them all," the Delaware Senator said.

He added, "In my capacity as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, I am prepared to receive members of the Iranian Parliament whenever its members would like to visit."