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American Public Opinion Polls: Opinion Toward Iran

(2009)

Which one of the following would be the best approach toward Iran right now? (The Israel Project)

 
December 2007
March 2008
December 2009
Increased economic sanctions
24%

17%

21%
Increased diplomatic pressure
21%
17%
19%
Direct negotiations with Iran
25%
26%
17%
U.S. Military action
5%
9%
13%
Establish normalized relations with Iran
14%
15%
11%
Easing economic and diplomatic sanctions
9%
8%
8%
Don't know/Refused to answer
3%
7%
7%

How much of a chance do you think there is that diplomacy and negotiation by the United States government can stop Iran from developing nuclear weapons? (The Israel Project)

 
March 2008*
August 2009
October 2009
December 2009
A good change
20%
13%
7%
10%
Some chance
34%
25%
21%
23%
Little chance
22%
28%
30%
27%
Hardly any chance
22%
33%
41%
38%
Don't know/Refused to answer
2%
1%
1%
2%

*Question read: “...diplomacy and sanctions...”

Which statement comes closer to your own opinion... (The Israel Project)

 
October 2008
January 2009
August 2009
December 2009
With all the problems that America is facing at home now, we should reduce our efforts to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
23%
18%
13%
19%
Even with all the problems that American faces at home now, we must still work hard to stop Iran from getting nuclear weapons.
72%
79%
84%
78%
Don't know/Refused to answer
4%
3%
3%
4%

Do you favor or oppose each of the following specific actions that can be taken with regard to Iran if they do not stop their nuclear program? (The Israel Project)

1. Prevent any company from doing business in the United States if that company provides Iran with refined petroleum.

 
Aug. 2009
Oct. 2009
Support
66%
74%
Oppose
29%
23%
Don't know/Refused to answer
5%
3%

2. Support opposition groups in Iran that are working for democracy and human rights.

 
Dec. 2007
Aug. 2009
Oct. 2009
Support
85%
86%
84%
Oppose
13%
13%
12%
Don't know/Refused to answer
2%
1%
4%

3. Expand international economic and diplomatic sanctions.

 
Oct. 2009
Support
80%
Oppose
15%
Don't know/Refused to answer
4%

4. Targeted military strikes by the United States and its allies against Iranian nuclear facilities.

 
May 2006
Sept. 2006
Nov. 2006
Jan. 2007
Aug. 2009
Oct. 2009
Dec. 2009
Support
28%
40%
34%
43%
58%
48%
51%
Oppose
69%
51%
61%
52%
39%
48%
44%
Don't know/Refused to answer
2%
9%
5%
4%
4%
4%
5%

5. Targeted military strikes by the United States against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

 
Dec. 2007
March 2008
Support
34%
29%
Oppose
63%
66%
Don't know/Refused to answer
3%
5%

Do you believe that Iran is developing nuclear weapons? (ADL)

 
May 2007
October 2007
October 2009
Yes
82%
71%
83%
No
11%
15%
7%

Do you think that Israel should take military action to keep Iran from developing or trying to develop a nuclear weapons program? (ADL)

 
2005
2007
2009
Yes
53%
42%
57%
No
47%
46%
32%

Do you think that the United States should take military action to keep Iran from developing or trying to develop a nuclear weapons program? (ADL)

 
2005
2007
2009
Yes
49%
47%
54%
No
36%
39%
34%

Please rate each of the following using a one to one hundred scale, where one means you have a cold/very unfavorable feeling toward that person and one hundred means you have a warm/very favorable feeling toward that person, and fifty is neutral. (The Israel Project)

1. Iran's President Ahmadinejad

 
Sept. 2007
Dec. 2007
Aug. 2009
Oct. 2009
Mean response
22
19
22
19
51-100
5%
5%
5%
5%
1-49
65%
76%
72%
75%

2. Iran

 
May 2006
May 2007
Sept. 2007
Dec. 2007
Aug. 2009
Oct. 2009
Mean response
30
28
25
25
32
19
51-100
9%
11%
8%
8%
10%
5%
1-49
69%
71%
66%
72%
62%
78%

To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would you support or oppose direct diplomatic talks between the United States and Iran to try to resolve the situation? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Support
82%
78%
84%
82%
Oppose
18%
21%
15%
17%

To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would you support or oppose imposing international economic sanctions against Iran? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Support
78%
85%
78%
76%
Oppose
18%
14%
19%
19%

To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would you support or oppose the United States bombing Iran's nuclear development sites? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Support
42%
49%
38%
42%
Oppose
54%
49%
57%
54%

To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would you support or oppose invading with U.S. forces to remove the Iranian government from power? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Support
33%
40%
32%
30%
Oppose
62%
57%
63%
65%

To prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons would you support or oppose offering Iran financial incentives such as aid money, or more trade, if it abandons any effort to develop nuclear weapons? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Support
30%
28%
38%
25%
Oppose
67%
69%
57%
75%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling the situation with Iran? (Washington Post-ABC News, Oct. 19, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Approve
52%
18%
71%
51%
Disapprove
39%
69%
22%
41%

Which of the following options do you think is more important for the US to pursue? (Pew, Oct. 6, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons, even if it means taking military action.
61%
71%
51%
66%
Avoid military conflict, even if Iran may develop nuclear weapons.
24%
16%
31%
22%
Neither/Both/DK
15%
13%
18%
11%

Do you approve or disapprove of direct negotiations with Iran? Would they work? (Pew, Oct. 6, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Approve
63%
63%
64%
64%
Disapprove
28%
26%
25%
31%
Don't know
9%
11%
11%
5%

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
They will work
22%
11%
34%
19%
They won't work
64%
81%
47%
70%
Don't know
13%
8%
19%
11%

Do you approve or disapprove of tougher economic sanctions against Iran? Would they work? (Pew, Oct. 6, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
Approve
78%
81%
72%
84%
Disapprove
12%
9%
13%
11%
Don't know
10%
10%
15%
5%

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
They will work
32%
31%
35%
30%
They won't work
56%
57%
52%
60%
Don't know
11%
12%
13%
10%

How much confidence do you have in President Obama to do the right thing in dealing with Iran ? (Pew, Oct. 6, 2009)

 
Total
Rep.
Dem.
Ind.
A great deal or fair amount
51%
81%
71%
49%
Not too much or none at all
44%
9%
19%
48%

How serious a threat do you view the following: "Iran supplying a nuclear umbrella for the Middle East"? (McLaughlin & Associates, May 19, 2009)

  Total Rep. Dem. Ind. Voted Obama '08
Serious threat 91 95 89 89 88

Very serious

69 77 64 65 59
Somewhat serious 22 18 25 24 30
Not a threat 6 3 9 8 9
Don't know/Refused 3 3 3 3 3

Will the United States be safe with a nuclear Iran? (McLaughlin & Associates, May 19, 2009)

  Total Rep. Dem. Ind. Voted Obama '08
Yes 16 9 19 20 20
No 71 81 64 64 62
Don't know/Refused 14 10 17 16 18

Iran is currently developing a nuclear weapon, when Iran is able to produce a nuclear weapon how likely do you think it is that Iran will launch a nuclear attack on the following? (McLaughlin & Associates, May 19, 2009)

Likely/Not likely Total Rep. Dem. Ind. Voted Obama '08
Provide nuclear weapons to terrorists to attack an American city. 79/14 85/9 72/19 79/14 72/19
Launch a nuclear missile attack on Israel. 80/14 89/6 74/18 75/19 72/20
Use the threat of nuclear attack to provide a shield for Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists to attack Israel. 77/9 84/5 74/10 73/13 73/10

Given that Iran has publicly threatened to annihilate Israel, would Israel be justified in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities? (McLaughlin & Associates, May 19, 2009)

  Total Rep. Dem. Ind. Voted Obama '08
Yes 57 67 47 57 47
No 25 19 37 23 31
Don't know/Refused 19 15 22 20 22

Would approve or disapprove of which of the following? (McLaughlin & Associates, May 19, 2009)

Approve/Disapprove Total Rep. Dem. Ind. Voted Obama '08
Blockading the import of gasoline and food to Iran to stop Iran from building a nuclear weapon. 60/25 75/15 54/31 52/30 52/34
Allowing and assisting Israel to attack and destroy Iran's nuclear weapons program facilities. 59/29 67/23 47/39 69/21 44/41
Using the military to attack and destroy the facilities which are necessary to produce a nuclear weapon. 58/30 70/20 45/38 60/31 39/45
The United States providing aid including military assistance to pro Democratic dissidents who want to overthrow the radical Islamic regime. 54/29 58/28 52/26 50/36 49/33

Which TWO of the following would be the best approach toward Iran right now?  Is it... (The Israel Project National Survey, January 10-12, 2009)

 
7/08
1/09
Increased diplomatic pressure
43%
47%
Direct negotiations with Iran
42%
43%

Increased economic sanctions

35%
39%
Establish normalized relations with Iran
25%
24%
Easing economic and diplomatic sanctions
23%
21%

None of the Above

2%
5%

Do you favor or oppose expanding UN economic and diplomatic sanctions on Iran? (The Israel Project National Survey, March 18-20, 2008)

 
December 2007
March 2008
Strongly favor
46%
40%
Somewhat favor
30%
30%
Somewhat oppose
13%
13%
Strongly oppose
8%
12%
Don't know/Refused to answer
3%
5%