Iraqi parliament votes on reciprocity measure to ban Americans entering Iraq

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – The Iraqi parliament on Monday approved a motion in response to the US President Donald Trump’s executive order banning Iraqis from entering America. 

Based on the recommendation of the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, Iraq voted on a “reciprocity measure” against the decision of the US President banning the citizens of Iraq and six other Muslim-majority countries from entering the US. 

Iraqi parliament calls upon Trump Administration to reconsider the decision because it harms international relations, stating that “If the US proceeds with the decision, Iraq will take similar measures.”

“The parliament motion includes asking the United Nations, the NGOs and the Arab League to have a firm position on the US President’s decision,” a local Iraqi media reported.

Elsewhere, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry in a statement on Monday expressed his surprise at US President’s decision banning the citizens of Iraq from entering the US.

“The Iraqi Foreign Ministry expresses its regret and surprise regarding the US President Donald Trump’s Executive Order that contains measures preventing Iraqi citizens from entering the US,” the statement added.

On January 27, the US President Donald Trump signed an executive order that bars people of seven countries from traveling to the US for minimum 90 days.

Three of those countries are considered sponsors of terrorism (Iran, Sudan and Syria), and three are designated countries of concern (Libya, Somalia and Yemen).

“I am establishing new vetting measures to keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the US. We do not want them here… We only want to admit those into our country who will support our country and love deeply our people,” Trump said in a press conference.

The 19 hijackers implicated in the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack came from Egypt, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. None of those countries will be subject to what Mr. Trump described as “new vetting measures,” New York Times reported.

Editing by Ava Homa