Iraqis gather as firefighters respond to a massive bomb attack near the Iraqi Ministry of Justice building, seen at rear, Sunday in Baghdad. Iraqi police say a pair of powerful explosions rocked downtown Baghdad in front of the headquarters of the Baghdad provincial administration and near the Ministry of Justice building during the morning rush hour as people headed to work. At least 147 people were killed.

Washington ? President Barack Obama said Sunday’s “outrageous attacks” outside government offices in the Iraqi capital “reveal the hateful and destructive agenda of those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that they deserve.”

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the “savage” suicide bombings attacks will not succeed in undermining Iraq’s progress toward stability, self-reliance and justice based on the rule of law.

The White House said Obama spoke to Iraq’s president, Jalal Talabani, and prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, about nine hours after the suicide bombings, which killed at least 147 people. The blasts struck near the Justice Ministry and city government offices in downtown Baghdad. They were the worst attacks in more than two years and came ahead of national elections in January.

No group claimed responsibility immediately following the blasts, but the Shiite-dominated government has been a target of Sunni insurgents.

“These bombings serve no purpose other than the murder of innocent men, women and children, and they only reveal the hateful and destructive agenda of those who would deny the Iraqi people the future that they deserve,” Obama said. “I strongly condemn these outrageous attacks on the Iraqi people, and send my deepest condolences to those who have lost loved ones.”

In her statement, Clinton said the U.S. would work together with Iraqis “to combat all forms of violence and attempts at intimidation.”