By Zaffar Abbas BBC correspondent in Islamabad

Pakistan and Iran have opposed any unilateral or pre-emptive military operation against Iraq, saying that it would undermine the central role of the United Nations in the crisis.

The statement came in the form of a joint communiqu� issued at the end of a three day state visit by Iran's President, Mohammad Khatami to Pakistan.

The two countries have, however, asked Iraq to implement the UN Security Council resolutions.

The communiqu� does not mention the United States or any other country by name but says Pakistan and Iran are concerned about the current situation in Iraq.

Worries

And though the communiqu� also calls upon Baghdad to respect and implement the UN Security Council resolutions it clearly states that it is up to the people of Iraq to determine their own future through democratic means.

Mr Khatami defended Pakistan's nuclear programme

Pakistan has remained a close ally of the United States in the military campaign against the Taleban and al-Qaeda in neighbouring Afghanistan.

But analysts say the government is also worried about the growing anti-American sentiment in the country, which had been a source of strength for the hard-line religious parties in the recent parliamentary elections.

The religious parties have been campaigning in Iraq's support and have called for a country-wide protest in the first week of January against a possible American military strike to oust Saddam Hussein.

Support

President Khatami's visit to Pakistan has also helped the two countries revive their friendly ties which were soured by Islamabad's support in the past for the Taleban regime.

During the visit the Iranian president not only declared that his country plans to build a nuclear power plant, he forcefully defended Pakistan's nuclear weapons programme.

He said the countries that want Pakistan to row back its nuclear programme should first ask Israel to dismantle its nuclear warheads which, according to President Khatami, were several hundred in numbers.