"This situation will lead to a human tragedy and outbreak of various diseases in Basra and surrounding regions," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said, quoted by the official IRNA news agency.

"The initial symptoms of the unpalatable consequences of the illegitimate and unequal war is seen. It is required that international and humanitarian organizations take rapid actions to check this humanitarian tragedy and help the people in Basra," he said.

Following US-British air raids on Basra on Friday, all water treatment facilities were completely cut off due to power failure.

The lack of water in the city has raised the specter of disease for its 1.7 million residents, especially 100,000 children.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has warned of a looming humanitarian disaster in Basra.

"Sixty percent of the local population are still without regularwater supply -- this could develop into a humanitarian crisis," an ICRC official has said.

The World Health Organization also said there is a risk of diseases, including dysentery and cholera -- which has hit Basra before -- if the city goes for long without adequate clean water.

Despite mounting international opposition, the United States launched its war against Iraq at 0530 a.m. (0230 GMT) last Thursday, in a bid to topple Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

The offensives, the first preemptive strikes in the US history, kicked off about 90 minutes after the expiration of an ultimatum issued by US President George W. Bush for Saddam to leave the country or face war.

The United States has accused Iraq of hiding and secretly developing banned weapons as well as having linkage with the al-Qaeda terror network. Iraq strongly denies the US allegation.

(Xinhua News Agency March 25, 2003)