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Arab/Muslim Public Opinion Polls: Public Opinion in Iran

Note: We are presenting raw data. When available, we provide some or all of the crosstabs (i.e., breakdowns by various categories such as party ID). To analyze the data, we encourage users to read the entire study and the methodology used. Results and reliability can be affected by such things as sample size, question wording, and question order. Responses may also be influenced by context and timing; for example, if the survey is conducted during a war.


See also: American Opinion Toward the 2015 Iran Deal and Aftermath

As you may know, in July 2015, Iran and the P5+1 countries reached a comprehensive agreement in regard to Iran’s nuclear program, which is also known as the JCPOA. In general and based on what you know about the JCPOA, to what degree do you approve or disapprove of this agreement? Do you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019; Chicago Council/IranPoll, February 8-28, 2021)

 
Aug  2015
Jan. 2016
Mar. 2016
Jun. 2016
Jun. 2017
Jan. 2018
Apr. 2018
Dec. 2018
May 2019
Aug. 2019
Oct. 2019
Oct.
2020
Feb.
2021
Approve
76%
71%
72%
63%
67%
55%
52%
51%
48%
45%
42%
44% 51%
Disapprove
21%
21%
21%
25%
28%
34%
36%
39%
51%
45%
52%
48% 41%

As you may know, Iran has exceeded some uranium enrichment limits it accepted under the original 2015 JCPOA agreement in response to former US President Trump withdrawing the United States from the agreement. Would you mostly support or mostly oppose Iran returning to the limits called for under the JCPOA agreement if the United States also begins fulfilling its obligations under the JCPOA? (Chicago Council/IranPoll, February 8-28, 2021)

  2021
Mostly Support 69%
Mostly Oppose  23%
Depends 2%
DK/NA 6%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 As you may know, our country has many problems and differences with the United States. If both the United States and Iran start to fully comply with the terms of the JCPOA agreement, do you think this will make it easier or more difficult for the two countries to try to resolve other existing problems or will it have no significant effect?  (Chicago Council/IranPoll, February 8-28, 2021)

  2021
It will make it easier  47%
It will make it more difficult 7%
It will have no significant effect 42%
Depends 1%
DK/NA 4%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 How likely do you think it is that economic sanctions against Iran would be loosened during the Biden presidency? (Chicago Council/IranPoll, February 8-28, 2021)

  2021
Likely 50%
Not likely 47%
Will probably be tightened   1%
Depends 3%

 

 

 

 

 

0

 If the United States returns to the Iran nuclear agreement and fulfills its obligations under the JCPOA, do you think the Iranian government should be willing or unwilling to negotiate a new separate agreement about its missile program? (Chicago Council/IranPoll, February 8-28, 2021)

  2021
Willing 29%
Unwilling 62%
Depends 1%
DK/NA 9%

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you may know, the United States has withdrawn from the JCPOA nuclear agreement and has reimposed its sanctions on Iran. How confident are you that other P5+1 countries besides the U.S. will live up to their obligations toward the nuclear agreement? Are you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Jun. 2016
Dec. 2016
May 2017
Jan. 2018
Apr. 2018
Dec. 2018
May 2019
Aug. 2019
Oct. 2019
Very confident
5.8
3.2
5.9
6.5
54
7.2
3.0
3.1
4.1
Somewhat confident
55.0
48.2
47.5
53.5
36.7
37.7
27.1
25.6
Not very confident
21.4
27.2
24.0
22.6
42
28.0
30.0
32.6
32.3
Not confident at all
13.5
16.0
16.7
13.4
19.7
24.6
34.4
36.9
DK/NA [vol.]
4.4
5.4
5.9
4.1
4
8.4
4.8
2.9
1.2

Now that the United States has withdrawn from the JCPOA agreement and reimposed its sanctions on Iran, if other P5+1 countries remain committed to the agreement and try to maintain their trade relations with Iran despite US sanctions, what do you think Iran should do?: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Jan. 2018
May 2019
Aug. 2019
Oct. 2019
Iran should withdraw from the JCPOA
52.8
60.3
57.8
58.9
Iran should remain committed to the JCPOA
39.0
28.7
30.4
32.0
Other [vol.]
1.0
1.7
2.0
1.1
DK/NA [vol.]
7.2
9.4
9.8
8.1

*Until August 2019 it was asked: “How confident are you that other P5+1 countries besides the U.S. will live up to their obligations toward the nuclear agreement?”
In Jan. 2018 it was asked: If the United States decides to withdraw from the JCPOA agreement and reimpose sanctions on Iran, but other P5+1 countries remain committed to the agreement and do not reimpose sanctions, what do you think Iran should do?

As you may know, in retaliation for  US withdrawal from the JCPOA agreement and reimposition of the sanctions, our government has exceeded some limits it accepted under the JCPOA and threatened to withdraw unless the other P5+1 countries do more to allow Iran to benefit from the agreement. The other P5+1 countries have responded that Iran’s recent actions make it more difficult for them to takes the steps Iran is demanding. With this in mind, to what degree do you support or oppose our government’s recent decision? (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Aug. 2019
Oct. 2019
Strongly support
39.0
41.4
Somewhat support
33.2
32.9
Somewhat oppose
13.1
12.8
Strongly oppose
7.3
6.8
Depends [vol.]
1.7
1.8
DK/NA [vol.]
5.6
4.3

If the European countries that signed the JCPOA offered to make specific commitments to increase trade and investment with Iran if Iran would agree to again fully comply by the terms of the JCPOA, would you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Strongly support such an agreement
16.9
Somewhat support
28.4
Somewhat oppose
22.0
Strongly oppose such an agreement
29.9
Depends [vol.]
0.7
DK/NA [vol.]
2.1

In Europe there has been talk of trying to negotiate an agreement with Iran that would be broader than the JCPOA and would cover Iran’s nuclear program, its ballistic missile development, and its military activities in the Middle East in return for the lifting of all current sanctions on Iran. Let’s suppose that Germany, France, and Britain, with no U.S. participation, proposed such negotiations to Iran.  What would you think would be best for Iran to do? (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Start negotiations with Germany, France and Britain
4.7
Say such negotiations would only be possible after Europe fully complies by the terms of the JCPOA agreement and significantly increases its investment and trade with Iran
12.9
Say such negotiations would only be possible after both the United States and Europe fully comply by the terms of the JCPOA agreement and lift all sanctions that should be lifted according to the JCPOA
35.7
Iran should not negotiate about its missile program and military activities in the Middle East
44.7
Depends [vol.]
0.6
DK/NA [vol.]
1.4

If the United States returns to the JCPOA, lifts all sanctions related to Iran’s nuclear program, and is willing to talk in a forum that includes all the P5+1 countries. Under such a condition, to what degree would you support or oppose Iran agreeing to hold talks with the Trump administration? Would you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Strongly support
21.0
Somewhat support
30.7
Somewhat oppose
19.0
Strongly oppose
27.3
Depends [vol.]
0.5
DK/NA [vol.]
1.5

If only some U.S. sanctions are lifted, but the United States agrees to talks in a forum that includes all the P5+1 countries?  Under such a condition, to what degree would you support or oppose Iran agreeing to hold talks with the Trump administration? Would you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Strongly support
15.4
Somewhat support
24.0
Somewhat oppose
22.5
Strongly oppose
36.6
Depends [vol.]
0.5
DK/NA [vol.]
1.0

If only some U.S. sanctions are lifted, and the United States wants bilateral talks with Iran, without the other P5+1 countries participating?  Under such a condition, to what degree would you support or oppose Iran agreeing to hold talks with the Trump administration? Would you: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Strongly support
10.7
Somewhat support
24.7
Somewhat oppose
24.0
Strongly oppose
39.2
Depends [vol.]
0.4
DK/NA [vol.]
1.0

What do you think should be Iran’s response if the United States proposed an agreement, as follows: the United States would lift the sanctions that the US was required to lift under the JCPOA agreement, if Iran would also agree to permanently refrain from nuclear enrichment on its soil? Do you think: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Aug. 2019
Oct. 2019
Iran should accept such an agreement
7.8
3.7
Iran should accept such an agreement only as part of a deal that would require the US to lift more sanctions
22.1
19.4
Iran should not accept such an agreement under any circumstances
67.6
74.7
DK/NA [vol.]
2.5
2.2

How about if the United States proposed an agreement, as follows: the United States would again lift the sanctions that the US was required to lift under the JCPOA agreement, and Iran would return to the JCPOA’s nuclear limits and would only agree to increase the duration of those limits?  Do you think: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
Iran should accept such an agreement
4.1
Iran should accept such an agreement only as part of a deal that would require the US to lift more sanctions
34.8
Iran should not accept such an agreement under any circumstances
57.9
DK/NA [vol.]
3.3

Some say if the United States wants, it can increase its sanctions on Iran and that would greatly worsen Iran's economy, even beyond the current difficult situation. Others say that the United States has already sanctioned Iran to the fullest degree possible and it cannot make Iran’s economic conditions more difficult than current conditions even if it tries. Which of these two views is closer to yours? (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
Oct. 2019
If the United States wants, it can increase its sanctions on Iran and that would greatly worsen Iran's economy, even beyond the current difficult situation
34.9
The United States has already sanctioned Iran to the fullest degree possible and it cannot make Iran’s economic conditions more difficult than current conditions even if it tries
63.3
Depends/Other [vol.]
0.5
DK/NA [vol.]
1.3

As you may know, our country has many differences with the United States, including about the activities of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in countries like Iraq and Syria. In your opinion, if Iran were to accept US demands and stop the activities of IRGC in Iraq and
Syria, would that more likely: (CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
May 2019
Oct. 2019
Make the United States more accommodating in other areas of contention
13.5
10.8
Make the United States rely on pressures and sanctions to extract more concessions from Iran in other areas
54.1
59.5
Not have much of an effect on other issues between the two countries
23.4
21.2
DK/NA [vol.]
9.0
8.6

 

As you may know, the United States has withdrawn from the JCPOA nuclear agreement and has reimposed sanctions on Iran. In your opinion, to what degree have these sanctions had a
negative impact on our country's economy?
(CISSM, October 1-8, 2019)

 
July 2014
October 2019
Have had great negative impact
51%
48%
Have had some negative impact
34%
32%
Have had little negative impact
7%
10%
Have had no negative impact
4%
10%
DK/NA
4%
7%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The United Nations, the U.S., and Western Europe continue to impose sanctions on Iran. Do you think these sanctions have hurt the livelihood of Iranians a great deal, somewhat, or not at all? Have these sanctions personally hurt your livelihood a great deal, hurt it somewhat, or have they not hurt your livelihood at all? (Gallup, February 7, 2013)

 
A great deal
Somewhat
Not at all
Don't know/Refused
Sanctions hurt Iranians' livelihoods
56%
29%
10%
5%
Sanctions personally hurt your livelihood
48%
35%
14%
2%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Given the scale of the sanctions against Iran, do you think Iran should continue to develop its nuclear power capabilities, or not? (Gallup, February 7, 2013)

Yes, continue
No, do not continue
Don't know/Refused
63%
17%
19%

 

 

 

Which of the following groups do you hold MOST RESPONSIBLE for the sanctions against Iran? (Gallup, February 7, 2013)

2012

The U.S.

47%

The Iranian government

10%

Israel

9%

Western European countries

7%

The United Nations

7%

Someone else

3%

No one

0%

Don't know/Refused

17%