BAGHDAD, June 4 (Xinhua) -- The Iraqi parliament on Sunday postponed its session over nominating candidates for key security portfolios after political blocs failed to reach a consensus, the deputy parliament speaker told reporters.

    "We have decided to postponed today's session until further notice to give the political blocs enough time to agree on the candidates of defense, interior and ministry of state for national security," Sheikh Khlaid al-Atiya said.

    The postponement came after Shiite factions in the dominant United Iraqi Alliance could not agree on the Shiite interior minister, a Sunni Arab lawmaker told reporters.

    Amid fierce political haggling among Iraq's Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds, Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki was forced to leave portfolios of defense, interior and national security temporarily unfilled on May 20, when he announced his new cabinet. The three ministries are currently headed by the prime minister himself and his two deputies.

    The three security ministries are seen as key to the new government' efforts to curb violence. Enditem