BAGHDAD, November 18 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Iraq accused the United States Monday, November 18, of seeking to use UN Security Council Resolution 1441 as a cover for "aggression" by raising the possibility of declaring Baghdad in "material breach" if it fired on U.S. warplanes in "no-fly" zones.

"This U.S. declaration is yet another manifestation of the U.S. administration's violation of international law and the UN Charter, and an additional indication of U.S. intentions to use Resolution 1441 as a cover to justify its aggressive actions against Iraq," said a Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Iraq, which does not recognize the "no-fly" zones - not backed by any UN resolution and enforced only by U.S. and British aircraft in the north and south of the country since the 1991 Gulf war - accepted Resolution 1441 under which chief UN arms inspectors Hans Blix came to Baghdad Monday to launch the resumption of arms inspections on tougher terms, Agence France-Presse (AFP) said.

"The entire international community condemned the imposition of the no-fly zones as an illegal act ... and aggressive use of armed force against Iraq's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity," the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said.

It said UN chief Kofi Annan and his predecessor Boutros Boutros Ghali "said on more than one occasion that the United States and Britain imposed this measure unilaterally without it being sanctioned by Security Council resolutions."

The enforcement of the exclusion zones was also condemned by several international organizations, the statement said.

"What credibility can the Security Council and UN retain if the U.S. administration of evil uses council resolutions to confer legitimacy on blatant acts of aggression against peoples while considering resistance to aggression a material breach of these resolutions?" it asked.

The statement, citing a letter from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein to parliament released Saturday, November 16, said Baghdad would continue to defend its "inalienable rights under the UN Charter and international law" while honoring its own obligations as laid down by the charter and international law.

In Washington, the White House said Monday that attacks by Iraq on U.S. and British warplanes constitute a "material breach" of a recent United Nations Security Council resolution on disarming Iraq.

"We do, as you noted, believe it is a violation that would constitute a material breach," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan, reported AFP.

"In the resolution it says that Iraq shall not take or threaten hostile acts directed at any representative or personnel of any member state taking action to uphold any council resolution," he said.

"Our planes will continue to respond in the manner that they have in the past."

"The resolution does give us that option to return this violation to the Security Council for discussion."

When asked if the United States would take that option, which could be the first step towards launching a war with Iraq, McClellan replied "we have that option."

Warplanes from a U.S.-British coalition bombed Iraqi air defenses for a second consecutive day Monday, the U.S. military said.

Coalition aircraft operating out of Turkey launched the strike in northern Iraq after coming under anti-aircraft artillery fire northeast of near Mosul, the U.S. European Command said.