quote:
Massive blast at Iran embassy rocks central Baghdad
(AFP) – 23 minutes ago
BAGHDAD — A massive explosion in front of the Iranian embassy rocked central Baghdad on Sunday, an AFP correspondent said.
The explosion occurred around 11:20 am (0920 GMT), shattering windows in nearby buildings, with gunshots and ambulance sirens heard minutes later as emergency services rushed to the scene.
The enormous blast sent a large plume of smoke billowing across the Iraqi capital.
The blast was the third heard by AFP correspondents in Baghdad on Sunday morning, and follows major sets of co-ordinated explosions in the capital in August, October, December and January.
It comes as Iraq's political parties negotiate to form a government, nearly a month after a general election.
Security officials have warned that a protracted period of coalition building could give insurgents an opportunity to further destabilise Iraq.
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Three blasts shake Iraqi capital
Three large explosions have gone off in quick succession in the centre of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, say witnesses.
Two of the blasts were in the Mansour district of west-central Baghdad. The third was near the Iranian embassy, said witnesses and police.
It is not clear if there are any casualties or what caused the explosions.
They shattered a period of relative calm in the city after last month's parliamentary elections.
The blasts come two days after at least 25 Sunnis were killed in an execution-style attack at a village near Baghdad.