Iraq will not retaliate against Trump’s visa ban: PM
Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. File photo.
When asked at a news conference if he would act on the Iraqi parliament’s vote in favor of retaliation, Abadi said: “We will not do anything of the sort.”
“We are studying (possible) decisions but we are in a battle and we don’t want to harm the national interest,” he added.
The United States provides critical air and ground support to Iraqi troops fighting the militants who overran a third of Iraq in 2014. More than 5,000 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq.
President Donald Trump on Friday temporarily banned entry to the U.S. entry for people from seven predominantly Muslim countries – Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
Iraq asked the United States on Monday to reconsider the travel ban on its citizens, taking a more diplomatic line than the Iraqi parliament, which demanded the government retaliate.
The Iraqi parliament had called on the government to impose “similar treatment” on U.S. nationals.
The Pentagon said it was creating a list of Iraqis who had worked alongside U.S. troops, which will be passed to agencies implementing Trump’s executive order.
A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Captain Jeff Davis, said that over the weekend the White House had “provided the opportunity” to submit names.
“There are a number of people in Iraq who have worked for us in a partnership role, whether fighting alongside us or working as translators, often doing so at great peril to themselves,” Davis told reporters.
“We are ensuring that those who have demonstrated their commitment tangibly to fight alongside us and support us, that those names are known in whatever process there is going forward,” he added.
It was unclear when the list would be complete and how many names it would include.