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Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Tom Lantos Mull Trip to Iran

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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and fellow California Democrat Rep. Tom Lantos, who recently returned from a controversial visit to Syria, said they are interested in taking another diplomatic trip to open a dialogue with Iran.

"Speaking just for myself, I would be ready to get on a plane tomorrow morning, because however objectionable, unfair and inaccurate many of [Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's] statements are, it is important that we have a dialogue with him,” Lantos said at a press conference on Tuesday.

"I'm ready to go - and knowing the speaker, I think that she might be.”

Pelosi did not dispute that statement, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. She noted that Lantos - a Hungarian-born survivor of the Holocaust - brought "great experience, knowledge and judgment" to the recent congressional trip to Syria and other countries in the Middle East.

"I find the president of Iran's remarks to be so repulsive that they are outside the circle of civilized human behavior,” Pelosi said, referring to Ahmadinejad's past comments, which include his questioning of the Holocaust.

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"But a person of Mr. Lantos' stature and personal experience is saying that - even as a Holocaust survivor and even recognizing the outrageous statements of the president of Iran - it's important to have dialogue. I think that speaks volumes.”

Pelosi was criticized by President Bush and other members of the administration for meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The White House seeks to isolate Syria as a terrorism-sponsoring state. Bush has tried to isolate Iran as well, saying its government has aided attacks against Americans in Iraq while stepping up its efforts to build nuclear weapons.

Lantos said he has been trying unsuccessfully to obtain a visa to visit Tehran for more than a decade.

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