U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the situation in Syria is spinning out of control.

Reacting to the growing violence and the bombing deaths of top Syrian officials, Panetta said the international community has to bring maximum pressure on President Bashar al-Assad to do the right thing and step down.

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton condemned the bombing in Damascus. She expressed concern over the consequences of the violence on the Syrian people.

Russia also condemned the bombing as an act of terrorism and says it hopes the masterminds will be found and punished.

The United Nations Security Council postponed Wednesday's scheduled vote on a Western-backed resolution that could impose sanctions on Syria.

U.N. envoy Kofi Annan, who was in Beijing, asked for the one-day postponement. He says it is still possible to reach a compromise with Russia, which promises a veto.