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"We hope that at this late hour they (Iraq) will come to a positive response. If they do not do that, then our reports next Friday (to the UN Security Council) will not be what we would like them to be," warned chief arms inspector Hans Blix.

He was speaking after he and International Atomic Energy Agency chief Mohamed ElBaradei briefed British Prime Minister Tony Blair in London on their search for Iraq's suspected weapons of mass destruction.

Britain is the chief ally of US President George W. Bush in the Iraq crisis. Bush demanded Thursday that the United Nations punish Baghdad for flouting its disarmament demands and warned Iraqi President Saddam Hussein: "The game is over."

Bush said grimly that the United States would "welcome and support" a second UN Security Council resolution that could lead to military action to enforce its November 8 disarmament ultimatum.

Blair, meanwhile, said public opinion in Britain could swing behind a war on Iraq if a second UN resolution was voted to call for one.

"If there were a second UN resolution, then I think people would be behind me. I think if there is not, then there is a lot of persuading to do," he told a televised debate broadcast by the BBC.

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi said after talks in London with his British counterpart Jack Straw that an "imminent" second resolution on Iraq in the UN Security Council would be a positive move.

Kharazi's visit was protested by around 1,000 opponents of the Iranian government, who accused it of human rights abuses as they descended on Parliament Square in central London.

Blix earlier told reporters outside Blair's London residence: "What has not worked (in the inspections process) is for the Iraqi side either to present prohibited items for destruction, or present evidence that (such items) are finished.

"On this point, we do not feel that we have had the response we should."

ElBaradei agreed, saying Iraq needs to show a "drastic change" of attitude in cooperating with UN inspectors before their key report to the UN Security Council on February 14.

"The message coming from the Security Council is very clear that Iraq is not cooperating fully, that they need to show drastic change in terms of cooperation," ElBaradei said.

Just minutes afterwards, Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon announced in parliament that Britain was to boost its total deployment of warplanes in the Gulf and Turkey to some 100 over the next few weeks, in preparation for possible military action against President Saddam Hussein's regime.

The force includes Tornado F3 interceptors, Tornado GR4, Jaguar and Harrier fighter bombers, Tristar refuelling aircraft, Hercules transporters, and helicopters, and will be backed up by some 7,000 support personnel.

Britain has already committed 30,000 troops, 120 tanks and a 17-vessel naval task force led by the aircraft carrier Ark Royal to a potential US-led war.

The new deployment came after US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Wednesday presented what he said was evidence that Iraq was failing to disarm its biological, chemical and nuclear weapons programmes -- a presentation which Baghdad has dismissed as lies.

Blix and ElBaradei are due to travel back to Baghdad for more talks on Saturday. 

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