Iraq has been taken off of the list of countries from which travelers are banned from entering the US and State Department representative Mark Toner confirmed a factor in the decision was assistance from Iraq in fighting the Islamic State terrorist group.
Many Iraqis also served as interpreters and translators for the American military over several years of the post-September 11th war.
According to The Hill newspaper, lobbying firm hired by the Iraqi government also sent letters to the White House, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Secretary of Defence James Mattis, and members of Congress asking for meetings with Iraq’s newest ambassador to the US, Fareed Yasseen, and other diplomats.
No retaliatory diplomatic action was taken by Iraq after the initial travel ban executive order had been signed in January.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi and President Trump spoke on the phone on 9 February and Vice President met with PM Al-Abadi and other officials during the Munich Security Conference later that month. Secretary Mattis also made an unannounced visit to Iraq in February as well.
The ‘Muslim ban’ order in its current form was re-drafted as a result of several courts blocking its enforcement. The six remaining countries are Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen.
