In yet another indication that an assault is imminent, the US on Sunday night advised UN weapons inspectors to withdraw from Iraq.

However, the inspectors are expected to wait for the Security Council's orders on moving out of Iraq. The council will take up this issue, along with the US' deadline on supporting its plans to attack Iraq, on Monday.

A plane is on standby to evacuate the inspectors, and other UN staff at present in Iraq.

The UN has already ordered its observers in the 124-mile demilitarized zone along the Iraq-Kuwait border to leave. The zone had been created as a buffer after the 1991 Gulf War.

Iraq has consistently claimed that it has done everything possible and will continue to cooperate with the Security Council on the issue of disarmament.

Only recently, it had invited chief weapons inspector Hans Blix to Baghdad to settle outstanding issues, but he is yet to respond.