"We do not agree to any use of our airspace ... to attack any neighboring country through our land," the spokesman told reporters when asked if Baghdad would authorize the use of its airspace in any action against Syria. "Our position is fixed on this subject."

He said Iraq opposes the use of its airspace or territory in any attack on Syria.

His remarks come as the United States is beating the war drums after the recent chemical attacks in southern Damascus, though the revelation by Syrian army of chemical depot found in the foreign-backed militants’ stronghold poured cold water on the White House and its western allies.

Amid political escalation in the region, Russia has called on the US administration not to jump to gun and refrain from attacks against Syria without the UN approval.

"Using force without the approval of the U.N. Security Council is a very grave violation of international law," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters but when repeatedly asked about Moscow’s reaction in case of invasion to Syria, Labrov said: "We (Russia) do not intend to fight with anyone.”

Political analysts believe that US is seeking to implement an Iraq-like scenario in Syria by accusing the Syrian government of carrying out chemical attacks on civilians.

They believe that the US and some other western countries are trying to whip up the support of the international community and their own people by accusing the Syrian government of using chemical weapons against civilians.

The US cited the presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq as justification for its invasion though no such weapons were ever found in the country.

Neither the UN commission set up in 1999 to look for Iraq’s WMDs nor the US body that replaced it after the invasion found the secret arsenal of nuclear, chemical or biological weapons or long-range missiles that the US and Britain had claimed Iraq possessed.

MRKD/NJF