Iran nuclear agreement: Public opinion
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The E3/EU+3 reached an agreement with the Islamic Republic of Iran regarding the development of its nuclear program on July 14, 2015.[1] The agreement, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), placed limits on Iran's nuclear program in exchange for economic sanctions relief.[2]
According to surveys conducted in September 2015, 21% of Americans approved of the nuclear deal, and 49% disapproved. Sixty-eight percent of Iranians approved, and 10% disapproved. Additionally, 51% of Iranians said the deal would improve U.S.-Iranian relations, while 18% of Americans agreed.[3][4]
American views
According to a September 2015 Pew Research survey, 49% of Americans disapproved of the nuclear deal, while 21% approved. Additionally, the survey found that 42% of Americans had "no confidence at all" that Iranian leaders would adhere to their obligations outlined in the deal, while 2% had "a great deal of confidence" that leaders would.[3]
| "From what you know [about the recent agreement on Iran’s nuclear program between Iran, the United States and other nations], do you approve or disapprove of this agreement?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Approve | Disapprove | Don't know/ Refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center Sept. 3-7, 2015 | 21% | 49% | 30% | +/-3.6 | 1,004 | ||||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center July 14-20, 2015 | 33% | 45% | 22% | +/-2.5 | 2,002 | ||||||||||||||
| "If this agreement is implemented, do you think the relationship between the U.S. and Iran will improve, get worse or stay about the same?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Improve | Get Worse | Stay about the same | Don't know/ Refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | |||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center Sept. 3-7, 2015 | 18% | 30% | 37% | 16% | +/-3.6 | 1,004 | |||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center July 14-20, 2015 | 23% | 28% | 40% | 9% | +/-2.5 | 2,002 | |||||||||||||
| "How much confidence do you have that Iran’s leaders will uphold their side of the agreement?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | A great deal of confidence | A fair amount of confidence | Not too much confidence | No confidence at all | Don't know/Refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center Sept. 3-7, 2015 | 2% | 18% | 28% | 42% | 9% | +/-3.6 | 1,004 | ||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center July 14-20, 2015 | 3% | 22% | 34% | 37% | 4% | +/-2.5 | 2,002 | ||||||||||||
| "How much confidence do you have in the U.S. and international agencies’ ability to monitor Iran’s compliance with the agreement?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | A great deal of confidence | A fair amount of confidence | Not too much confidence | No confidence at all | Don't know/Refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center Sept. 3-7, 2015 | 12% | 30% | 27% | 24% | 7% | +/-3.6 | 1,004 | ||||||||||||
| Pew Research Center July 14-20, 2015 | 12% | 34% | 32% | 20% | 3% | +/-2.5 | 2,002 | ||||||||||||
Iranian views
When U.S. News reporter Teresa Welsh asked Georgetown University visiting assistant professor Ariane Tabatabai what Iranians thought of the nuclear deal, she said,[5]
| “ | In Iran, the nuclear program has become very politicized. It's something that everyone has been following, it's something that everyone knows about to some extent. People have been paying attention to the nuclear issue not necessarily because they care about the technical aspects, it's mainly because they care about their own lives and every single aspect of their own lives has been affected by the nuclear issue. So people were really looking forward to this deal. The general public is very much for the deal. People are happy this is done. There is of course a faction that is opposed to the deal. They're a very small but very vocal minority. But ultimately I would say this is an interesting event where everyone – conservatives, reformists, moderates, people outside of the regime altogether – tends to agree that this is a good deal.[6] | ” |
When discussing how the deal had been received in Iran, "60 Minutes" correspondent Steve Kroft said, "There has been much ferocious, negative comments about the deal in Iran as there have been in the United States.[7]
According to a May 2015 University of Tehran Center for Public Opinion Research (UTCPOR)/ IranPoll.com survey, "a substantial majority favors it [the nuclear deal] and only one in six oppose it. A quarter, though, are undecided or equivocal." In addition, "Approximately half of respondents say Iran should not agree to a deal unless the U.S. lifts all of its sanctions, while nearly as many say Iran should be ready to make a deal even if the U.S. retains some sanctions, provided all UN and EU sanctions are lifted."[8]
A September 2015 survey resulted in similar findings. A majority of Iranians supported the deal and believed that it would improve relations with the United States. The full results can be viewed below.
| "With regards to the nuclear agreement reached in July between Iran and the United States, in your opinion, did Iranian leadership negotiate a good deal for your country?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Yes | No | Don't know/ refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Gallup September 2015 | 68% | 10% | 22% | +/-3.9 | 1,001 | ||||||||||||||
| "Do you think that the agreement between Iran and the United States will improve your economic situation?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Yes | No | Don't know/ refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Gallup September 2015 | 66% | 19% | 15% | +/-3.9 | 1,001 | ||||||||||||||
| "Do you think that the agreement will result in better relations with the United States?" | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Poll | Yes | No | Don't know/ refused | Margin of Error | Sample Size | ||||||||||||||
| Gallup September 2015 | 51% | 26% | 23% | +/-3.9 | 1,001 | ||||||||||||||
See also
- Iran nuclear agreement: An overview
- Iran nuclear agreement: Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action
- Iran nuclear agreement:Negotiations
- Iran nuclear agreement: Timeline
- Iran nuclear agreement: Legislation
- Iran nuclear agreement: Congressional review
- 2016 presidential candidates on the Iran nuclear deal
- Iran nuclear agreement: U.S. - Israeli relations
- Outline for nuclear agreement with Iran reached
- Iran nuclear agreement talks resume ahead of deadline
- 2016 presidential candidates on the Iran nuclear deal
- John Kerry
- Barack Obama
- P5+1 and E3+3
External links
- House letter to President Obama
- Detailed Timeline of Nuclear Diplomacy with Iran
- "Iran Nuclear Negotiations: Status of Talks and the Role of Congress"
- "PM Netanyahu's Speech in Congress"
- "An Open Letter to the Leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran"
- "Parameters for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action Regarding the Islamic Republic of Iran's Nuclear Program"
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
Footnotes
- ↑ The Guardian, "Iran nuclear deal reached in Vienna," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Wall Street Journal, "Iran, World Powers Reach Nuclear Deal," July 14, 2015
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Pew Research Center, "Support for Iran Nuclear Agreement Falls," accessed September 25, 2015
- ↑ Gallup, "Iranians See Nuclear Deal as a Turning Point," accessed November 22, 2015
- ↑ USNews.com, "The Next Step on Iran," accessed September 25, 2015
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ CBS News, "Rouhani talks Iran nuclear deal in '60 Minutes' interview," accessed September 26, 2015
- ↑ University Of Maryland, "Iranian Public Opinion on the Nuclear Negotiations," accessed November 22, 2015
