Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday called for closer economic and security ties with China, saying Iran has never trusted the West, as the two countries agreed to increase bilateral trade more than 10-fold to $600 billion in the next decade.
Iran's most powerful figure told Chinese President Xi Jinping during a visit that Iran wants to expand ties with "more independent countries," adding the United States is "not honest" in the fight against terrorism in the region.
"Iranians never trusted the West. . . . That's why Tehran seeks cooperation with more independent countries (like China)," Khamenei said.