Tehran's Friday prayer leader Ahmad Khatami has warned Iranian officials against any retreat from the country's red lines in talks with Washington, declaring that Iran is itself a superpower and rejecting the notion of surrender to the United States on May 8.

Speaking from the pulpit in Tehran, Khatami said messages were being exchanged with Washington through Pakistani mediation following the recent war with the US and Israel, but insisted that any deal must be struck on Iran's terms.

"The expectation of people who were present on the streets for 68 nights is the realisation of dignified, honourable negotiations accompanied by wisdom," Khatami said, according to state media.

The cleric told worshippers that officials must not retreat one iota from Iran's principles, citing what he called the vast popular capital built up by Iranians who had taken part in nightly demonstrations during the 40-day conflict.

Khatami singled out foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei for praise, saying Baghaei had rebuffed those who believed Iran must capitulate to a superpower such as the US. The cleric said Baghaei had countered with the assertion that Iran was itself a superpower.

Citing remarks by Mojtaba Khamenei on what the cleric described as a period of silence rather than a ceasefire, Khatami said Iranian fighters must keep their hands on the trigger and that the public must remain on the streets to confront US President Donald Trump.

The Friday prayer leader hailed Lebanese ally Hezbollah for what he called blackening the days of the Israeli regime, saying the group had created a great arena of resistance despite its difficult circumstances.

The cleric also struck a sharper note on the economy, telling officials that simply acknowledging price rises was not enough.

He said Iranians who had stood in the streets demanded practical action on livelihoods and that the best way to thank what he called the street fighters was for executive officials to move with revolutionary urgency to ease economic hardship.

Khatami said meetings between the Iranian president and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei showed that all matters were being directed personally by the latter.