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Relatives of US nationals held in Egypt and Saudi Arabia have reacted with anger after they were left out of a recent phone call withÌýUS Secretary of State Antony Blinken,ÌýThe Guardian Ìý on Tuesday.

The phone call, which took place on 22 June, saw Blinken tellÌýrelatives of US nationals detained or held hostage inÌýRussia, Venezuela, Rwanda, and other countries that he is "working to bring their loved ones home", State Department spokesman Ned Price Ìýat the time.

However, relatives of US nationals detained in the two Middle Eastern countriesÌýdid not take part in the call - held weeks beforeÌýUS President Joe Biden's visit toIsrael, and the occupied Palestinian West Bank, and Saudi Arabia, where he is expected to try to re-kindle the US-Saudi relationship.

"The willingness of the US to expend its political capital in resolving wrongful detention cases is not consistent and is based on some arbitrary criteria: is your wrongfully detained family member detained in a country that is a foe or ally?"Ìýone individual who spoke on the condition of anonymity told The Guardian.

The US State Department told the British daily: "We take our responsibility to assist all US nationals seriously, and we press for fair and transparent treatment in all cases."

Before being elected, Biden had vowed to make Saudi Arabia a "pariah" state because it had ordered the killing of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018.

The president's planned trip has from both Democrats and Republicans, as well as human rights activists, who say the visit lent Saudi Arabia's rulersÌýcredibility despite the kingdom's .

During the visit, Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are expected to discuss oil production, Riyadh's ties with Israel, andÌýpolicy towards Iran.

The US has also been accused of turning a blind eye to human rights violations by Egypt, a regional military ally.