The oil-rich country remains traumatised from the years of war, occupation and bloody sectarian turmoil that followed the operation launched on March 20, 2003.

Iran and Saudi Arabia say they will reopen embassies and missions within two months and implement security and economic cooperation deals signed more than 20 years ago.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet includes hardcore rightist parties who want to annex occupied West Bank land where Palestinians have long sought to establish an independent state.

Xi's visit comes amid persistent rancour between Saudi Arabia and the US, its long-time partner and security guarantor, over oil production, human rights issues and regional security.

The 79-year-old president's visit to Jeddah on Friday will be the focus of the tour, after Biden branded Saudi Arabia a 'pariah' over the 2018 murder of dissident Saudi journalist and US resident Jamal Khashoggi.

Afghan forces who were trained in the past 20 years will be asked to rejoin the security departments alongside Taliban members.

Iran says it is poised to buy more of the commodity from Malaysia in a bid to address the growing demand over the next few years.

Pentagon spokesman says some of the Patriot anti-missile batteries are being redeployed to other countries and some are returning to the US for maintenance.

Amnesty says the Middle East 'stands out as a region that clings to the use of the death penalty after deeply unfair trials'.

Such a level of cooperation between Israeli and Arab airlines would have seemed impossible until recently.