Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president said on Wednesday he had vetoed part of an election law over the allocation of seats to displaced Iraqis, throwing fresh doubt over plans for general elections in January.

Vice president Tareq al-Hashemi said he objected to Article One of the law approved by parliament this month because it did not give a voice to Iraqis abroad, many of whom are Sunni Muslims who fled during sectarian fighting after the US-led invasion in 2003.