The United States appears to be preparing to resume large-scale strikes against Iran, but there is unlikely to be a military solution for either side in the devastating conflict, experts say.

The United States could strike Iran as soon as this weekend, a U.S. envoy said, after mounting threats by both Washington and Israel.

Iran has "substantially increased" its efforts to target Americans in the Middle East and beyond, U.S. national intelligence chief Jay Clayton has warned.

Iran said on Saturday that U.S. military ships would never be allowed to enter the Gulf "under any circumstances" and President Donald Trump will "take that dream to his grave".

Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow next week, Iranian media reported.

The Louvre and several other major Paris museums will be closed on Saturday over concerns about potential violence during planned protests, France's culture ministry said.

In a statement to The Associated Press, the ministry said the Orsay and Picasso museums were also among those that will close.

Talks between Russia, Ukraine and the United States are "planned" to resume in November in Abu Dhabi, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday.

Russia indicated its readiness to resume the talks, which have been at a standstill since the beginning of the year, following a meeting this week in Saint Petersburg between President Vladmir Putin and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.

South Korea on Friday proposed military talks with North Korea to resolve disagreements about where their border lies and prevent accidental clashes in frontline areas, seeking to ease tensions after recent landmine blasts injured three South Korean soldiers.

It's unclear whether North Korea will agree to talks. Authoritarian leader Kim Jong Un has taken a hard line toward Seoul and has suspended virtually all dialogue and cooperation with the South in recent years. Meanwhile, North Korea has been adding mines, barbed wire fences, tactical roads, anti-tank walls and other fortifications to what's already one of the world's most heavily armed borders.

Police across France are under pressure to maintain security during further protests expected in some cities, while facing scrutiny over their riot-control tactics used during previous unrest that left some teenagers seriously injured.

Officers have appeared outnumbered and overwhelmed during last weekend's protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. Authorities have announced police reinforcements ahead of further protests expected on Saturday, amid fears of renewed violence.

A magnitude 7 earthquake hit China's Tibet region on Thursday evening, killing at least 16 people, injuring 54 and collapsing hundreds of homes in the northern regional city of Nagqu, official media said.

Search and rescue efforts continued following the collapse of at least 339 homes and 20 livestock sheds, the Nagqu media office said, citing city government officials.