President Trump Phones Iraqi PM About Travel Ban

— -- President Trump phoned Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi on Thursday night amid an increasingly strained bilateral relationship following Trump’s executive order travel ban last month.

Iraq was on the list of seven Muslim-majority countries whose citizens were temporarily banned from entering the United States as a result of the controversial order. But according to an official readout of Thursday's call from the Iraqi prime minister’s office, the two world leaders may be finding some common ground.

"The prime minister stressed the importance of a review of the decision on the right of Iraqis to travel to the United States and lift Iraq from the list of countries mentioned in the executive order,” read the statement from Al-Abadi’s office. “And Mr. Trump stressed the importance of coordination to find a solution to this issue as soon as possible and that he will direct the U.S. State Department in this regard."

The prime minister’s office says that Trump once again asked that Al-Abadi visit him in the U.S., although it was not made clear if the invitation was accepted.

The readout from the Iraqi side said that Trump and Al-Abadi also discussed strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and Iraq following the executive order.

According to the prime minister’s office, President Trump congratulated Al-Abadi on “leading the war on terror."

It was not made clear if the two leaders spoke prior to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimous decision on Thursday that denied the U.S. Department of Justice’s bid for an emergency stay of a lower court's decision that has temporarily halted Trump's executive order.

The White House did not provide a readout of the phone call.