For a third day in a row, protests are expected against President Trump's travel ban preventing people from seven predominantly-Muslim countries from entering the United States.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq has asked the United States to reconsider the travel ban on its citizens, the foreign ministry said on Monday, taking a more diplomatic line than the Iraqi parliament which had demanded the government "retaliate".

"It is necessary that the new American administration reconsider this wrong decision," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Noting their cooperation in fighting the Islamic State group, the statement added: "We affirm Iraq's desire to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries."

By executive order on Friday, President Donald Trump banned U.S. entry for people from seven Muslim-majority countries – Iran, Iraq, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen – and temporarily halted the admission of refugees.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed and Maher Chmaytelli; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)