Asked why the two countries were attempting to block military action, he said: "There are outstanding debts and contracts in respect of France and Russia in Iraq."
Blair said that in a post-conflict Iraq, the country's oil should go into a UN-supervised reserve which would be for the benefit of the Iraqi people.
Meanwhile, EU foreign affairs envoy Javier Solana yesterday said no military intervention against Iraq should occur without authorization from the UN, saying the position was shared across the 15-member EU.
"There must not be any military action without the center of decision which is the UN. This is a clear position of the all members of the EU, and I think of the international community," he said.
But the drive to war seems unstoppable.
Foreign ministers of member states of the UN Security Council were to discuss Iraq today in what could be last public debate of its kind before the start of war.
Even Blix, is believed, however, to be resigned to the fact there is no way of halting the American war machine.
Blix told reporters that his 250-strong team in Iraq is ready to leave the country within 24 hours of receiving a warning from the US.
Such a warning, UN diplomats say, is likely to take the form of a polite telephone call to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
A senior US official, possibly Secretary of State Colin Powell, would advise the secretary general to assess the safety of the UN personnel in Iraq.
"Annan will get the message and immediately pass on the word to Blix," said a highly placed UN diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
RSS