The Iranian Defence Minister said today Iran would not take part in any military action against Iraq even if approved by a United Nations resolution.
Iran is worried about fallout from a US military attack on its western neighbour and said yesterday it would adopt a policy of "active neutrality" on possible conflict in Iraq.
Mr Ali Shamkhani said repeated Iran's call on Iraq to admit UN weapons inspectors and avert a possible US attack.
"We are against a US military attack on Iraq, but at the same time Baghdad should comply with the UN resolutions," he told a joint news conference with visiting Kuwaiti Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber al-Hamad al-Sabah.
Mr Shamkhani said Iran's policy of "active neutrality" meant that "although we are against US policies, we will not co-operate with Iraq either".