**The mothers of three US hikers who are being held in Iran for crossing into the country illegally could be allowed to visit their children, Tehran says.**Shane Bauer, Sarah Shourd and Josh Fattal were seized by Iranian border guards last year.
Their mothers recently wrote to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, requesting a visit.
The head of Iran’s High Council for Human rights said their request had a good chance of being approved.
“We recommended that the families should be able to see them and I hope that this be done,” said Mr Mohammad Javad Larijani, speaking in Geneva at a UN review of Iran’s human rights record.
‘Accidental’
The three hikers have been held for more than 200 days in Evin prison.
Mr Bauer, Ms Shourd and Josh Fattal were arrested on 31 July 2009 near the town of Marivan. They have been accused of spying and illegal entry.
But their families say they crossed the border into Iran accidentally while hiking in Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region.
Their mothers said the three friends had not been allowed to make any phone calls or to write letters.
“For more than three months, we have no independent information about our children’s health or their state of mind,” they wrote in the letter, which was released on Monday.
They also said they wanted to meet Mr Ahmadinejad, to explain why their children should be released.