An explosion rattled the centre of the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Monday shortly before the Iraqi Governing Council planned to sign an interim constitution as Shi'ite politicians withdrew their objections.

The Associated Press reported that smoke was visible near the al-Mansour Hotel, a few blocks from the Green Zone, where the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority is based. The signing ceremony of the Iraqi constitution was to take place at the convention center in the Green Zone.

No further details were disclosed.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Governing Council met Monday morning to give the constitution a final read, then issued a statement announcing a signing ceremony would be held at 12:30 p.m. Monday (4:30 a.m. EST).

The ceremony has been delayed by nearly a week because of deadly violence and disagreement among Shiite and Kurdish council members.

On Friday, Shiite council members backed out of the ceremony after the nation's top Shiite cleric objected to a provision that would effectively give three Kurdish provinces veto power over approval of a permanent constitution.

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