Iraq threatened to unleash suicide attacks against US nationals in the Middle East and to wipe out any invading force should Washington wage a new war against it.
Demonstrations against a US-led war on Iraq meanwhile went ahead in Europe and the Middle East as Britain and the United States said they would seek United Nations backing for military action against Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.
The warnings of suicide attacks by Saddam and Vice President Taha Yassin Ramadan were made public yesterday - a day after US President George W Bush met British Prime Minister Mr Tony Blair, and declared that conflict could be "weeks, not months" away.
Official newspapers in Baghdad quoted Saddam telling senior military aides that if war happens, "the enemy will not enter Baghdad's suburbs because he will die. Even if they send a million soldiers, our boys will kill them."
As Iraq made its defiance clear, German police said thousands of demonstrators gathered around the country to protest against a possible war.
Police in the town of Auerbach arrested around 40 demonstrators who entered a US army training ground.
Meanwhile, authorities in the eastern French city of Strasbourg, near the border with Germany, said around 800 people took part in a demonstration there which had been called by the French Muslim Party.
Environmental organisation Greenpeace meanwhile sent its Rainbow Warrior protest ship to block the British port of Southamptonin order to prevent the departure of a military supply ship due to set sail for the Gulf.
On Tuesday, Mr Blair is to hold a summit with French President Mr Jacques Chirac, who has week declared that "nothing justifies military action".
AFP