A senior Iranian lawmaker called for strengthening ties with China, Russia, and neighboring countries after Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei rejected the idea of negotiations with the United States.

“We pursue and advance our national issues and interests independently of the United States,” said Alaeddin Boroujerdi, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.

“Therefore, it is essential to strengthen our relations with major countries like China and Russia, as well as with our neighboring countries,” Boroujerdi told ISNA news agency.

Khamenei said on Friday that talks with Washington are "neither wise, intelligent nor honorable."

He also said that US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal under President Donald Trump shows Washington is unreliable.

“The Islamic Republic trusted America once, despite the Supreme Leader’s clear distrust. The Americans, however, failed to honor their commitments, even tearing up an agreement backed by a UN resolution,” Boroujerdi added.

He also said Iran’s policies must reflect reciprocity, warning that threats to Iranian national security would be met with countermeasures.

The remarks indicate that hardliners are coalescing around the intransigent take of the Supreme Leader on talks, in opposition to the public desire for talks mooted by the relatively moderate government.

While Iran’s leadership frames its anti-US approach as protecting national sovereignty, the economic toll of sanctions and isolation has taken a heavy toll.

Ordinary Iranians are confronted with worsening standards of living as the US dollar is being exchanged at over 890,000 rials on Saturday, a new record low. Inflation, unemployment, and shortages in critical sectors continue to strain daily life.