Cairo: Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri has accused the United States of "closing the doors" on all attempts to find a peaceful solution to the stand-off on weapons.

The US administration is closing the doors in the face of every dialogue that seeks to find a solution in conformity with UN Security Council resolutions," Sabri told an Egyptian newspaper 'al-Ahram'.

"The Americans and the British ... are lying and inventing pretexts to perpetuate the criminal siege (embargo) on our people and justify their aggressive positions."

"We do not seek war and we are trying to do everything we can to avoid it, but our people are ready to defend themselves," he added.

Sabri said the return of the international weapons inspectors to Iraq should be part of a general deal with the United Nations that also provides for the lifting of the sanctions imposed on Iraq since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

He pointed out that he extended in early August an invitation to chief UN weapons expert Hans Blix and members of his team to discuss in Baghdad the possible resumption of weapons inspections, halted in December 1998.

He charged that Blix turned down the offer because of US pressures.

Blix said he refused to go to Baghdad because the trip would "raise expectations without foundation" and the Iraqis should accept inspections first.