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American Public Opinion Polls: Opinion Toward Iran

(2010 - 2015)

Which of these comes closest to your opinion? Iran is a threat to the United States that requires military action now. Iran is a threat that can be contained for now. OR, Iran is not a threat to the United States at this time. (CBS News/New York Times, January 26-29)

 
May 2013
January 2020
Requires action now

15%

14%
Can be contained

59%

64%
Not a threat
21%
17%
Unsure/No answer
5%
5%

Next, we have a question about the recent military action the United States took that resulted in the death of an Iranian military general. Do you approve or disapprove of this U.S. military action? (Gallup , January 16-29, 2020)

 
2020
Approve
53%
Disapprove
45%

Do you approve or disapprove of the way the U.S. government is handling Iran? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2019*

2019

2020
Approve

47%

42%
40%
Disapprove

53%

53%
56%

*Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019

In comparison to three years ago, do you think the odds of the U.S. going to war with Iran are higher, lower, or the same? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2019
2020
Higher

45%

45%
Lower

9%

10%
The same
26%
27%
Unsure, Don't Know Refused
20%
18%

What do you believe the Trump administration’s most important goal in its policy toward Iran is currently? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2019
2020
Prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons

30%

25%
Change Iranian behavior in the region

7%

11%
Change the regime
3%
2%
Undo Barack Obama’s policy
28%
33%
Look tough at home
9%
8%
Please key Middle Eastern allies such as Israel and Saudi Arabia
7%
7%
Unsure, Don't Know Refused
16%
14%

Which one of the following is closest to your view? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2019
2020
To achieve its current goal vis-à-vis Iran, the U.S. should be prepared to go to war

21%

20%
The current goals of U.S. policy do not warrant waging war. The U.S. must rely on other means short of war.

76%

76%

Refused
4%
4%

On September 14, an attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil fields cut Saudi oil production by half, accounting for 5% of the world’s oil supply, for several weeks. Yemen’s Houthi rebels, fighting Saudi Arabia, took responsibility for the attack, and the United States and some European countries blamed Iran. Which one of the following is closest to your view about the evidence presented to the public so far about Iran’s responsibility? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2020
Very convincing
20%
Somewhat convincing
42%
Somewhat unconvincing
21%
Very unconvincingy
12%
Refused
4%

If sufficient evidence emerges that Iran is responsible, should the U.S. consider a military action in response? (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

 
2020
Yes
32%
No
66%
Refused
2%

Which one of the the following factors is most important in explaining the escalation in the Gulf region that has endangered the oil trade: (University of Maryland, October 4-10, 2019)

  Total
The nature of Iran’s regime

22%

The war in Yemen

5%

The U.S. withdrawal from the 2015 Iran Nuclear Deal (the JCPOA)

355%

U.S. imposition of new sanctions on Iran, including on its oil exports

34%

Refused

5%

Do you think President Trump is too tough, too lenient or just right in dealing with Iran? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Too tough

22%

Too lenient

40%

Just right
38%

Do you support or oppose the United States imposing new sanctions on Iran's economy in response to Iran's attacks on Saudi Arabia's oil production facilities? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Support

72%

Oppose

28%

Do you support or oppose the United States sending a moderate number of troops and air and missile defenses to Saudi Arabia in response to the attacks on its oil production facilities? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Support

58%

Oppose

42%

Do you think the odds of the U.S. going to war with Iran are high or low? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

High

34%

Low

29%

Unsure/DK
38%

Should the United States launch a military strike on Iran if more attacks disrupting the world's oil supply occur, or should it continue to isolate the country diplomatically and apply economic pressure and sanctions? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Launch a military strike

29%

Continue to isolate the country diplomatically

71%

A Would you support or oppose the U.S. government launching a military strike on Iran if it continues hostilities the Persian Gulf and the region but does not attack US military assets or personnel? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Support

39%

Oppose

61%

Would you support or oppose the U.S. government launching a military strike on Iran if it attacks US military assets or personnel? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Support

73%

Oppose

27%

Would you support or oppose the US government launching a military strike on Iran if it announces it now has nuclear weapons? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Support

49%

Oppose

51%

Do you consider Iran an ally, an enemy, or neutral towards the United States? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Ally

6%

Enemy

76%

Neutral
18%

Do you think Iran is a peaceful force in the Middle East or does it contribute to conflict and instability in the region? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Peaceful Force

19%

Contributes to conflict and instability

81%

Do you think the government of Iran has the support of its people or not? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Has the support

31%

Does not have the support

69%

Do you think Iran is a working democracy or is it run by a group of religious leaders who claim absolute power based on religion? (Harvard-Harris September 22-24, 2019)

 

Total

Iran is a working democracy

17%

Iran is run by a group of religious leaders

83%

How much confidence do you have in President Trump to handle the threats posed by Iran? (Politico, May 2018)

 

Total

A lot

29%

Some

20%

Not Much
14%
None at all
33%

Do you think U.S. relations with Iran has gotten better, gotten worse, or stayed about the same since President Trump took office? (Politico, May 2018)

 

Total

Better

6%

Worse

57%

Stayed the same  
18%
Don't know/No answer
20%

Do you think the United States should or should not withdraw from the Iran Nuclear Deal? (CNN/SSRS, May 2018)

 

Total

The U.S. Should Withdraw From the Iran Deal

29%

The U.S. Should Stay in  the Iran Deal

63%

Regardless of what you think about whether the U.S. should withdraw from that agreement, do you think that Iran has or has not violated the terms of the agreement? (CNN/SSRS, May 2018)

 

Total

Yes Iran has Violated the Agreement

62%

No Iran has not Violated the Agreement

19%

Do you support or oppose what President Trump is doing against Iran? (Harvard-Harris, October 2017)

 

Total

Support

51%

Oppose

49%

What is your overall opinion of Iran?  Is it favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable? (Gallup, February 27, 2015)

 
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Favorable

3%

2%
2%
2%
2%
2%
1%
2%
1%
1%
1%
Mostly Favorable

11%

9%
10%
7%
8%
9%
9%
10%
7%
8%
6%
Mostly Unfavorable

39%

44%
42%
39%
35%
39%
38%
43%
38%
40%
49%
Very Unfavorable

40%

40%
42%
48%
52%
43%
46%
42%
45%
48%
46%

 

Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's handling of Iran? (Gallup, August 2015)

 

Total

Republicans

Democrats

Approve

33%

10%

56%

Disapprove

55%

82%

29%

Do you approve of the way that President Obama has dealt with Iran in general?(Quinnipiac, August 2015)

 

Total

Republicans

Democrats

Support

35%

3%

67%

Oppose

56%

93%

23%

Don't know/No answer

9%

4%

10%

Do you approve of the way that President Obama has dealt with Iran in general? (Washington Post/ABC, July 2015)

 

Total

Republicans

Democrats

I approve

35%

80%

59%

I disapprove

52%

20%

41%


Sources: “National: Iran got better end of deal,” Monmouth University, (August 10. 2015);
Jennifer Agiesta, “Majority wants Congress to reject Iran deal,” CNN/ORC, (July 28, 2015);
Scott Clement, “56% of people support Obama's Iran deal. But they don't think it will work,” Washington Post, (July 20, 2015);
“Iran nuclear agreement meets with public skepticism,” Pew Research Center, (July 21, 2015);
“American voters back Iran deal by wide margin, Quinnipiac poll finds,” Quinnipiac (April 27, 2015)