Iraq will reject a week-long extension of the oil-for-food program considered by the United Nations Security Council, the oil minister said in Cario on Friday.

Upon arrival to attend a meeting of Arab oil ministers, Amir Muhammad Rashid said the possible decision is "an evil and meanless step aimed at blackmailing the Security Council permanent members which are trying to push the United States and Britain to agree to lift economic sanctions."

Iraq has been under international trade embargo since its 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The UN-Iraqi oil-for-food program allows Baghdad to sell 5.2 billion US dollars worth of oil every six months to buy food and medicine for the Iraqi people.

The planned one-week extension is not practical, Rashid said, adding that if the UN Security Council adopts a relevant resolution, Iraq would "turn it down just as (the country) did with an earlier two-week extension proposal."

Iraq stopped exporting oil after the Security Council voted to extend the program for just two weeks when the last six-month phase expired on November 20.

The United States reportedly is pushing for the UN Security Council to extend the program by one week when it votes on the matter later Friday.

But three permanent council members, namely Russia, China and France, oppose the United States and Britain on key aspects of the comprehensive package. They support the usual six-month extension of the oil-for-food program. (Xinhua)