The Iranian President, Mr Mohammad Khatami, on the first visit to Afghanistan by an Iranian head of state in four decades, said yesterday that the United States had created a worldwide "warlike" atmosphere since September 11th.
He also warned that the use of military force, such as the US-led campaign against the Taliban and al- Qaeda network in Afghanistan, could trigger further global instability.
While Mr Khatami made no specific mention of the debate over whether the US should attack Iraq, he hinted that any such attack would be counter-productive.
Iran fears that a military campaign against Iraq would set a precedent and lead to a bid by the US also to seek a change of regime in Tehran.
"Those who have more power have more responsibility for establishing peace in the world," Mr Khatami said. "We hope to see a change in America's policy for the sake of America and the world."
His remarks came just a day after Iran confirmed it had turned over 16 suspected al-Qaeda fighters to Saudi Arabia after they fled to the Islamic republic from neighbouring Afghanistan.
"I believe that American leaders have a misunderstanding and an incorrect perception both about their own power and their own interests," Mr Khatami told a news briefing in the Afghan capital of Kabul after talks with President Hamid Karzai and other officials.
"Contrary to the methods pursued by previous [US administrations\], [present\] statesmen could have benefited the world, but by misusing the bitter incident of September 11th they have created a warlike and rough atmosphere in the world."
The US has accused Iranian hardliners of interfering in Afghan affairs and assisting the ousted Taliban militia and the al-Qaeda network it sheltered.
Meanwhile, Iraq yesterday urged the US to abandon its hostile policy and the United Nations to continue negotiations with Baghdad as the defiant regime mulled over demands to open up to new disarmament inspections.
"The United States must review its hostile policy towards Iraq and deal with it taking into account its regional, Arab and international importance," the ruling Baath Party's Ath-Thawra newspaper said.
The daily told Washington to stop "putting pressure on the world body to prevent it from answering the legitimate concerns of Iraq and normalising relations" with the United Nations.
During three rounds of talks this year, Iraq submitted to the Security Council a series of questions, notably on the lifting of sanctions and respect for its sovereignty, and is still awaiting an answer.
The Government newspaper Al- Jumhuriya warned against US intervention, stressing that "negotiations are the most effective way of solving international conflicts."
"If the US administration wants to achieve serious results as governments across the world want, it should open channels of dialogue and stop marginalising the role of the UN," said the Babel newspaper, which is run by President Saddam Hussein's elder son Uday.
The call came after the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Mr Naji Sabri, revealed on Monday that Iraq was still working on a response to UN demands for unconditional inspections. - (Reuters, AFP)