The Kremlin did not rule out taking control of Iran’s stocks of enriched uranium as part of a possible future nuclear deal between Tehran and Washington.

The US has proposed that Tehran transfer its stockpile of enriched uranium to a third country such as Russia as part of an agreement to scale back its nuclear programme.

Tehran is expected to reject such a proposal.

Asked at a daily briefing if Russia would accept Iran’s uranium reserves and if Tehran had discussed this with Moscow, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said: “I will leave that question without comment.”

On Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the country’s military capabilities were off limits.

“National security and defence and military power are among the red lines of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which cannot be discussed or negotiated under any circumstances,” Ali Mohammad Naini, the Guards spokesman, said, quoted by state broadcaster IRIB.

Renewed threat to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities

US and Iranian officials are due to meet again in Muscat on Saturday, a week after top officials held the highest-level talks since the landmark 2015 nuclear accord collapsed.

Donald Trump made a renewed threat to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities on Monday if no deal between the two countries was reached, calling Tehran’s authorities “radicals” who should not possess nuclear weapons.