Iraq has asked the United States to reconsider the travel ban on its citizens, the foreign ministry said on Monday, taking a more diplomatic line than the Iraqi parliament which had demanded the government "retaliate."
"It is necessary that the new American administration reconsider this wrong decision," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Noting their cooperation in fighting the Islamic State group, the statement added: "We affirm Iraq's desire to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries."
The Associated Press reported that two lawmakers in the Iraqi parliament said that the body approved Monday a "reciprocity measure" that will apply to U.S. passport holders entering Iraq.
By executive order on Friday, President Donald Trump banned U.S. entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries — Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen — and temporarily halted the admission of refugees.