France said this morning it hoped war in Iraq would end "as soon as possible", hours after US-led forces began an assault.
"At the moment when the first military operations have begun in Iraq, the French authorities note their deep concern," foreign ministry spokesman Mr Francois Rivasseau said.
France "hopes that the conflict which has just begun can beended as soon as possible," the statement noted.
Elsewhere, Iran's foreign minister, Mr Kamal Kharrazi, called the military action "unjustifiable and illegitimate".
But support for Washington came from, among others, staunch US allies Britain and Japan.
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"Iraq has continued to ignore the United Nations resolutions and has not acted sincerely. Therefore, I understand and support US action to disarm Iraq," Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said.
In Britain, the Muslim Council, which worries that military action against Saddam will sour relations between Britain and Islamic countries, called it a "black day in our history".
In Mexico City, demonstrators outside the US Embassy waved signs reading "No to the imperialist war against Iraq" and "Bush, calm your thirst for blood".
War protests continued in places as far-flung as San Francisco, Tokyo and Sydney, Australia.
Stocks were higher in markets across the Asia-Pacific region after the United States made its attack, with traders betting the war will end quickly.
Tokyo's 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average was up by 1.90 per cent at 8,204.25 in the afternoon, while prices rose by 3.25 per cent in Seoul.
AP