Iran cleric: Resuming US ties will be futile

TEHRAN: A prominent hard-line cleric in Iran warned on Friday against the country resuming ties with the United States, and said any attempt to do so would prove futile.
“Some people have created an underground network for establishing relations with the America,” Ayatollah Ahmad Janati told crowds at Friday prayers in Tehran, in comments broadcast by state media.
“Our people are anti-American — you should be anti-American as well. Why did you go a different way from the people?” Janati asked, addressing those alleged to be behind the move.
“As long as our people and our supreme leader do not want it, your efforts will not bear any fruit,” added Janati, who heads the powerful Guardians Council electoral watchdog.
His comments sparked chants of “Death to the America!” and “Death to Israel!” from the thousands of Friday worshippers.
The two countries’ foreign ministers, Mohammad Javad Zarif and John Kerry, have also met several times, most recently at the Munich International Security Conference.