Protesters opposed to war on Iraq are gathering for mass demonstrations around the world while UN arms chiefs travel to Baghdad to tell its leaders cooperation is the only way to avoid armed conflict.
With Washington massing troops and equipment in the Gulf and Iraq declaring itself mobilised for battle, thousands of demonstrators on Saturday in the United States, Britain, Japan, France, Syria, Russia, Italy, Yemen, Ireland, Cyprus and Pakistan took to the streets to say "no" to war.
"There's been too much capital invested in this war for it not to happen. But we're making our position clear, we're saying 'no'. There are people speaking out on this all over the world now, and we're part of it," said Mr Adam Conway, 24, an activist living at a peace camp near Shannon Airport.
US President George W. Bush has said he will lead a "coalition of the willing" to force Iraq to give up its alleged weapons of mass destruction if Baghdad does not cooperate with UN arms inspectors.
In Britain, Washington's staunchest ally against Iraq, demonstrations were planned in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham.
Egyptian demonstrators planned a second day of protests in Cairo calling on their government to prevent US and British warships from using the Suez Canal.
Thousands of Japanese gathered in central Tokyo to protest a possible war in Iraq and in the Pakistani city of Rawalpindi, a few thousand people formed a human chain to condemn any US-led attack.
In France, where President Jacques Chirac said a unilateral attack by Washington on Iraq would violate international law, left-wing parties, trade unions and peace groups planned to hold demonstrations in Paris and several provincial cities.