WASHINGTON, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- President George W. Bush's government should not take military actions in Iran without Congress approval unless Iran attacks the United States first, U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Sunday.

    In an interview with ABC News, Pelosi said that if the United States and its people are attacked, the president has "very strong powers to go after the country," otherwise, "he must come to the Congress."

U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks during a visit to the Bayview Child Health Center in San Francisco, California September 13, 2007. She said that President George W. Bush's government should not take military actions in Iran without Congress approval unless Iran attacks the United States first. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

 

    "We don't believe that any authorities that the president has would give him the ability to go in without an act of Congress," she said.

    Despite U.S. concerns over Iran's nuclear programs and suspects on its relations with Iraqi militants, Bush said earlier this month that the United States will still resort to diplomatic methods to resolve the nuclear issues with Iran while keep all its options open.

    Pelosi said that Bush's government had not requested any congressional authority to take military actions in the country.

    The Senate passed a resolution last month to urge the government to "combat, contain, and roll back" Iran's "violent activities and destabilizing influence inside Iraq," which was followed by passage of a similar measure in the House.