Baghdad, Sep 16 (IANS): Iraqi lawmakers Tuesday failed to approve new Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi's nominees for defence, interior and tourism ministers, media reported.

Jaber al-Jaberi, a Sunni nominee for defence minister, Riyadh Gharib, a Shia nominee for interior minister, and Ali al-Adib, another Shia nominee for tourism and antiquities minister, failed to get enough votes at the Council of Representatives, Xinhua reported citing the state-run Iraqiya channel.

However, Muhsin al-Shimmary, a Shia from the Sadr movement, was approved as minister of water resources.

Parliament Speaker Salim al-Jubouri said a new vote will take place Thursday to allow for further negotiations among the political blocs.

On Sep 8, the Iraqi parliament approved a partial cabinet presented by al-Abadi, and his government programme for the next four years, but left key portfolios vacant due to political differences.

According to Iraq's constitution, cabinet nominees have to win an absolute majority at the Council of Representatives.