Blast Near Syrian Hotel Used By UN

Activists say Syrian troops have clashed with rebels near the government headquarters and Iranian embassy in the capital Damascus.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights had no immediate word on casualties in Wednesday's clashes.

AP

Riad Hijab, Syria’s defected former prime... View Full Caption

Riad Hijab, Syria’s defected former prime minister, speaks at a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012. Hijab is the highest-ranking political figure to defect from Assad’s regime and in his first public comments since leaving his post and fleeing to Jordan he said Tuesday that the regime was near collapse and urged other political and military leaders to tip the scales and join the rebel side. (AP photo/Mohammad Hannon) Close

Maath al-Shami, an activist based in the area, said smoke could be seen billowing from behind the Iranian embassy building, which is under construction. The present Iranian embassy building and the Cabinet headquarters are also nearby, he said.

"We heard shooting and explosions for a while," said al-Shamir.