Gorbachev, who was president of the Soviet Union when the first Gulf War broke out in January 1991, told reporters at an international water conference in Japan that it seemed the United States was trying to make the world its own province.

"I believe not only that this war is unjustified, it is a major political mistake," Gorbachev said.

"It will do tremendous damage to international relations and to world security," he said.

"It is an attempt to teach a lesson to all other states and shows that the U.S. administration is trying to make the world its own province."

Gorbachev tried to act as a middleman to prevent the Gulf War in 1991 but the Soviet Union did not use its right of veto within the United Nations Security Council to oppose the war.

This time Russia strongly opposed U.S. plans to attack Iraq.

Its opposition, along with that of France, contributed to the decision earlier this week by the United States, Britain and Spain to drop the idea of a second U.N. resolution authorizing the use of force to disarm Iraq.

Gorbachev, in Japan to attend the World Water Forum in the city of Otsu, some 225 miles west of Tokyo, said the reasons given for the war were an illusion.

"It certainly has nothing to do with real leadership in international affairs to which the United States is making a claim," he said.

"Now that war has broken out I think we are facing a totally new situation where our worst fears are being realized. We need to act with a cool head, we need cool analysis.

"Let us act to minimize the loss of life and the destructive consequences to international relations," he said.