The US and Britain have agreed that force could be used to punish Iraq for its refusal to co-operate with United Nations weapons inspectors.
Meanwhile France recalled its official representative in Iraq "for consultations" yesterday while sending a firm message of disapproval about Baghdad's decision to halt co-operation.
A crisis mission by the US Defence Secretary, Mr William Cohen, to rally European and Gulf allies against Iraq began in London yesterday. He met his British counterpart, Mr George Robertson, for an hour of talks.
Mr Cohen and Mr Robertson agreed that President Saddam Hussein must reverse Baghdad's decision at the weekend to suspend co-operation with the UN inspectors sent to search for banned chemical and biological weapons or face the wrath of the international community.
They "agreed that all options remained on the table, including the use of force if required to get Saddam Hussein to submit to the will of the United Nations," said a subsequent statement issued by the British Ministry of Defence.
But Iraq remained obdurate. "We will not back down on the decision whatever the sacrifices would be," the official al-Iraq newspaper said in a front-page editorial. All Iraqis should fight to maintain the Iraqi leadership's decision until trade sanctions imposed for Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait are lifted, the paper said.
Hundreds of people marched through Baghdad carrying coffins of children they said died due to sanctions.
The US and Britain came close to military confrontation last February over the inspections, begun after the 1991 Gulf War over Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, but the crisis was resolved by the UN Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan.
The statement after the talks between Mr Cohen and Mr Robertson echoed earlier tough talking by President Clinton who said "no options are off the table", suggesting he was ready to order military strikes.
A Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman said yesterday Russia was opposed to the use of force. China urged Iraq to modify its stance. In New York, UN Security Council members started consultations on a resolution expected to condemn Iraq but not call for military action.