Russia repeats offer to take Iran's enriched uranium

As the world waits for peace talks between the US and Iran to resume, Russia says it can help solve the problem of Iran's enriched uranium.

Moscow was part of the 2015 nuclear deal that offered sanctions relief in exchange for Tehran curbing its atomic programme and opening it to broader international scrutiny. As part of the deal, Moscow removed large amounts of enriched uranium from Iran.

Speaking during a visit to Beijing, Russia's Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, told reporters Russia "is ready to play its role in resolving the enriched uranium issue," as it did in 2015.

"This role can take a variety of forms, including the reprocessing of highly enriched uranium into fuel-grade uranium and the transfer of a certain amount to Russia for storage," Lavrov said. "Anything acceptable to Iran, without, I repeat, violating its inalienable right, like the right of any other state, to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes."

Lavrov said that Russia and China firmly support talks to end the war in the Middle East so that parties can "advance realistic and fair goals.

Earlier this week, a Kremlin spokesperson said President Putin's offer to take the uranium had been put to the US and Middle Eastern countries but it hasn't been taken up.

Russia offered political support to Iran when the US unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal during President Trump's first term.