Haider al-Abadi: We Will Not Retaliate Against the Ban on Iraqis Entering the U.S.

Haider al-Abadi, the Prime Minister of Iraq, stated on Tuesday that due to his country's involvement in the war against the Islamic State group, Baghdad will not take retaliatory measures in response to Donald Trump's order to temporarily ban Iraqis from entering the United States. According to Reuters, Mr. Abadi responded to a question regarding the Iraqi Parliament's resolution for a reciprocal action against the U.S. by saying: 'We will not do such a thing.' The Iraqi Prime Minister emphasized: 'We are evaluating (possible) decisions in this regard, but we will not harm our national interests.' Following the advance of the Islamic State (ISIS) in Iraq and the seizure of parts of the country, the U.S. has been assisting Iraqi forces in combating ISIS since 2014. Currently, more than 5,000 American troops are stationed in Iraq. On Monday, February 11, the Iraqi Parliament voted for 'reciprocal action' against the U.S. in response to Trump's executive order banning citizens from seven countries, including Iraq, from entering the U.S. for 90 days. The approved plan by the Iraqi Parliament called for the Arab League and the United Nations to take a position on Trump's decision regarding the ban on citizens from seven Muslim countries. The U.S. President signed an executive order on Friday, banning the entry of citizens from Syria, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen into the U.S. for three months. Additionally, based on this order, the refugee admission program has been suspended for four months. Mr. Trump previously emphasized on Saturday that this order does not mean preventing Muslims from entering and that its purpose is 'to protect the American people.' We are in a battle and should not harm our national interests.