Iranian President Mohammad Khatami warned yesterday that the US-led military assault on Iraq would increase violence and extremism in the world.

Shi'ite Iran, while no friend of Baghdad's ruling government, opposes the war on its western neighbour led by its sworn enemy, the United States, and is wary of the installation of a US-backed government in Iraq.

"With this war you are giving a green light to extremist movements and violence-seekers to answer back your violence with violence," the official IRNA news agency quoted Khatami as saying in a speech.

"The result of this war is the death of innocent people and circulating and strengthening extremism and violence," he said.