The US pastor at the centre of a row over the threat to burn the Koran has said the event had been cancelled permanently.

There had been protests in mainly Muslim countries over the Koran-burning proposal, with rallies reported in Somalia and Afghanistan.

Pastor Terry Jones, the head of a small church in Florida, called off his plans to burn the Koran after attracting criticism from around the world.

"We will definitely not burn the Koran, no," the Reverend Terry Jones told NBC's Today show. "Not today, not ever."