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Syria defiant after PM Riad Hijab defection Syria defiant after PM Riad Hijab defection
(about 1 hour later)
Syria's new cabinet has met in emergency session, after Prime Minister Riad Hijab defected and denounced Damascus's "terrorist regime".  
The White House said the defection showed that President Bashar al-Assad's government was "crumbling from within". Syria's new cabinet has begun work, after Prime Minister Riad Hijab defected and denounced Damascus's "terrorist regime".
But Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Mr Hijab had not appeared in person and he rejected reports of other ministerial defections. Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Mr Hijab had not yet appeared in person and he rejected reports of other ministerial defections.
Meanwhile, reports suggest the army has stepped up its bombardment of Aleppo. Meanwhile, Iran's security chief has made an unexpected visit to Damascus in an apparent step change in diplomacy.
Government forces are trying to dislodge rebel fighters who have taken control of some areas of Syria's second city. Tehran says it is planning a conference aimed at solving the Syrian crisis.
Opposition activists report intense attacks on rebel-held areas on the north-east and south-west sides of the city. The staunchest regional ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Tehran is also trying to secure the release of a group of Iranians abducted by rebels from a bus in Damascus on Saturday.
State TV said troops had clashed with "terrorist groups" in several places, inflicting heavy losses and recapturing two police stations. 'US held responsible'
Further deaths were reported in Damascus on Tuesday and an unconfirmed report from Syrian rebels said three of 48 Iranians being held as hostages had been killed by army shelling. An unconfirmed report from the rebels has suggested that three of the 48 hostages they are holding have been killed by army shelling.
The rebels have claimed that the Iranians, abducted from a bus in Damascus on Saturday, are members of the Revolutionary Guard. Tehran says they are pilgrims who had been heading for a Shia religious site. Saeed Jalili, who heads Iran's supreme national security council and is considered a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was due to meet Bashar al-Assad and several other top officials.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has said it holds the US responsible for the group's safety. It also emerged that Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi was travelling to Turkey for talks in Ankara.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian has said it holds the US responsible for the hostages' safety.
He said the US was supporting "terrorist groups" and despatching weapons to Syria, and was therefore responsible for the lives of those abducted.He said the US was supporting "terrorist groups" and despatching weapons to Syria, and was therefore responsible for the lives of those abducted.
The rebels have claimed that the group are members of the Revolutionary Guard. Tehran says they are pilgrims who had been heading for a Shia religious site.
'Business as usual''Business as usual'
Caretaker Prime Minister Omar Ghalawanji headed a cabinet meeting on Monday, stressing that all the ministers were there. Caretaker Prime Minister Omar Ghalawanji headed an emergency cabinet meeting on Monday, stressing that all the ministers were there. He was due to chair a further session on Tuesday.
The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, said state media were giving the impression of it being business as usual in Damascus.The BBC's Jim Muir, in neighbouring Lebanon, said state media were giving the impression of it being business as usual in Damascus.
Opposition activists said that apart from the prime minister, two other ministers had also defected and a third - Finance Minister Mohammad Jalilati - was arrested as he tried to escape.Opposition activists said that apart from the prime minister, two other ministers had also defected and a third - Finance Minister Mohammad Jalilati - was arrested as he tried to escape.
But Syria's information minister played down the significance of Mr Hijab's departure and denied there had been further defections. But footage of the cabinet on state TV showed two of the ministers who had supposedly defected and Syria's information minister played down the significance of Mr Hijab's departure.
"We haven't heard anything from the former prime minister and he didn't appear on TV," Omran al-Zoubi was quoted as saying by Syrian state news agency Sana."We haven't heard anything from the former prime minister and he didn't appear on TV," Omran al-Zoubi was quoted as saying by Syrian state news agency Sana.
The finance minister was said to have given a phone interview saying he was still in his post and working from his office.
According to Sana, Religious Endowments Minister Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed also denied he had defected.
Syria was a state of institutions, the information minister said, and the flight of some of its individuals would not affect the state, however prominent they were.Syria was a state of institutions, the information minister said, and the flight of some of its individuals would not affect the state, however prominent they were.
'Safe location''Safe location'
Riad Hijab, appointed as prime minister less than two months ago, is the most prominent Syrian figure to defect so far.Riad Hijab, appointed as prime minister less than two months ago, is the most prominent Syrian figure to defect so far.
Although his whereabouts are unclear, his spokesman appeared on al-Jazeera TV in neighbouring Jordan saying that the prime minister had fled Syria with his family and was in "a safe location".Although his whereabouts are unclear, his spokesman appeared on al-Jazeera TV in neighbouring Jordan saying that the prime minister had fled Syria with his family and was in "a safe location".
"I have defected from the terrorist, murderous regime and [am] joining the holy revolution," ran Mr Hijab's statement read by his spokesman Mohammed el-Etri."I have defected from the terrorist, murderous regime and [am] joining the holy revolution," ran Mr Hijab's statement read by his spokesman Mohammed el-Etri.
France said the Assad government was "doomed" and White House spokesman Jay Carney said such high-level defections signalled that President Assad's grip on power was "loosening".France said the Assad government was "doomed" and White House spokesman Jay Carney said such high-level defections signalled that President Assad's grip on power was "loosening".
"If he cannot maintain cohesion within his own inner circle, it reflects on his inability to maintain any following among the Syrian people that isn't brought about at the point of a gun," he said."If he cannot maintain cohesion within his own inner circle, it reflects on his inability to maintain any following among the Syrian people that isn't brought about at the point of a gun," he said.
On the ground in Syria, the army is reported to have stepped up its bombardment of Aleppo.
Government forces are trying to dislodge rebel fighters who have taken control of some areas of Syria's second city.
Opposition activists report intense attacks on rebel-held areas on the north-east and south-west sides of the city.
State TV said troops had clashed with "terrorist groups" in several places, inflicting heavy losses and recapturing two police stations.
Further deaths were reported in Damascus on Tuesday.
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