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Iran

Americans' Opinions of Iran

Next, I'd like your overall opinion of some foreign countries. First, is your overall opinion of IRAN very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable?

Very
favorable

Mostly
favorable

Mostly
unfavorable

Very
unfavorable

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2010 Feb 1-3

1

9

39

46

4

2009 Feb 9-12

2

10

38

42

7

2008 Feb 11-14

1

7

43

45

4

2007 Feb 1-4

1

8

38

48

5

2006 Feb 6-9

1

6

40

46

6

2005 Feb 7-10

1

11

49

33

6

2004 Feb 9-12

3

14

46

31

6

2003 Mar 14-15 ^

2

11

48

31

8

2003 Feb 3-6

2

11

48

29

10

2002 Feb 4-6

2

9

46

38

5

2001 Feb 1-4 ^

2

10

45

38

5

1996 Mar 8-10

1

5

38

46

10

1991 Aug 8-11

1

12

44

35

9

1991 Mar 14-17

3

11

41

35

10

1991 Jan 30-Feb 2

2

11

39

40

8

1989 Aug 10-13

1

4

27

62

6

1989 Feb 28-Mar 2

1

4

27

62

6

^ Asked of a half sample.

Do you think the United States should or should not engage in direct diplomacy with Iran?

Yes, should

No, should not

No opinion

%

%

%

2009 Jan 30-Feb 1

56

38

6

What one country anywhere in the world do you consider to be the United States' greatest enemy today? [OPEN-ENDED]

2008
Feb 11-14

2007
Feb 1-4

2006
Feb 6-9

2005
Feb 7-10

2001
Feb 1-4

%

%

%

%

%

Iran

25

26

31

14

8

Iraq

22

21

22

22

38

China

14

11

10

10

14

North Korea/Korea (non-specific)

9

18

15

22

2

United States itself

3

2

1

2

1

Afghanistan

3

2

3

3

*

Pakistan

2

*

*

*

--

Russia

2

2

1

2

6

Saudi Arabia

1

3

1

2

4

Venezuela

1

*

*

--

--

Syria

*

*

1

2

--

France

*

*

1

2

--

Japan

*

*

*

*

1

Cuba

*

--

*

*

2

The Palestinian Authority

--

--

*

*

1

Libya

--

--

--

*

4

Other

6

6

6

8

6

None (vol.)

2

1

1

2

2

No opinion

8

7

7

9

11

(vol.) = Volunteered response

* Less than 0.5%

What do you think the United States should do to get Iran to shut down its nuclear program -- [ROTATED: take military action against Iran, (or) rely mainly on economic and diplomatic efforts]?

Take military
action

Rely on
economic/
diplomatic
efforts

No
opinion

%

%

%

2007 Nov 2-4

18

73

8

(Asked of those who say the U.S. should rely mainly on economic and diplomatic efforts to get Iran to shut down its nuclear program) Suppose U.S. economic and diplomatic efforts do not work. If that happens, do you think the United States should -- or should not -- take military action against Iran?

BASED ON ADULTS WHO SAY THE U.S. SHOULD RELY MAINLY ON ECONOMIC AND DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS TO GET IRAN TO SHUT DOWN ITS NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Yes, should

No, should not

No opinion

%

%

%

2007 Nov 2-4

34

55

11

COMBINED RESULTS: BASED ON NATIONAL ADULTS

2007 Nov 2-4

%

Take military action against Iran

18

Take military action if diplomatic/economic efforts fail

28

Not take military action even if diplomatic/economic efforts fail

45

No opinion

9

How concerned are you that the U.S. will be too quick to use military force in an attempt to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?

Very
concerned

Somewhat
concerned

Not too
concerned

Not
concerned
at all


No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2007 Nov 2-4

42

34

14

8

1

2006 Feb 9-12

34

35

20

10

1

How concerned are you that the U.S. will not do enough to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not concerned at all?

Very
concerned

Somewhat
concerned

Not too
concerned

Not
concerned
at all

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2007 Nov 2-4

33

40

17

9

2

2006 Feb 9-12

26

41

24

6

2

Next, how important do you think what happens in each of the following countries is to the United States today -- would you say it is vitally important, important but not vital, not too important, or not at all important? First, how about what happens in … [RANDOM ORDER]?

Iran

Vitally
important

Important,
not vital

Not too
important

Not at all
important

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2007 Feb 1-4

65

22

6

3

3

How confident are you in the United Nations to handle the situation relating to Iran's nuclear program -- very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?

Very
confident

Somewhat
confident

Not too
confident

Not at all
confident

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2006 Apr 28-30

5

28

36

31

1

2006 Feb 9-12 ^

8

39

27

24

2

^ WORDING: How confident are you in the United Nations' ability to handle the situation in Iran -- very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?

Suppose all economic and diplomatic efforts fail to get Iran to shut down its nuclear program. If that happens, do you think the United States should -- or should not -- take military action against Iran?

Yes, should

No, should not

No opinion

%

%

%

2006 Apr 28-30

36

57

6

What do you think the United States should do to get Iran to shut down its nuclear program -- [ROTATED: take military action against Iran now, use economic and diplomatic efforts but not take military action right now, or take no action against Iran at this time]?

Take
military
action now

Use
economic/
diplomatic
efforts

Take no
action at
this time

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

2006 Feb 9-12

9

68

18

5

Suppose the United States does take economic and diplomatic action, but those efforts do not work. If that happens, do you think the United States should -- or should not -- take military action against Iran?

BASED ON ADULTS WHO SAY THE U.S. SHOULD NOT TAKE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN NOW

Yes, should

No, should not

No opinion

%

%

%

2006 Feb 9-12

40

49

11

COMBINED RESPONSES: BASED ON NATIONAL ADULTS

2006 Feb 6-9

%

U.S. should take

45

(Take action now)

(9)

(If diplomatic efforts fail)

(36)

U.S. should not take

45

No opinion

10

Suppose Iran DOES develop nuclear weapons. Just your best guess, how likely is it that -- [RANDOM ORDER] -- very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?

2006 Feb 9-12
(sorted by "very likely")

Very
likely

Some-
what
likely

Not too
likely

Not
at all
likely

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

Iran would provide a nuclear weapon to terrorists who would use it against the United States

50

30

12

6

2

Iran would provide a nuclear weapon to terrorists who would use it against Israel

49

32

12

4

4

The Iranian government would use nuclear weapons against Israel

41

36

15

4

4

The Iranian government would use nuclear weapons against the United States

30

29

26

12

2

Which comes closest to your view -- [ROTATED: Iran poses an immediate threat to the United States, Iran poses a long-term threat to the U.S., but not an immediate threat, or Iran does not pose a threat to the United States at all]?

Immediate
threat

Long-term
threat

Does not
pose
a threat

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

2006 Jan 20-22

19

65

12

5

2004 Nov 19-21 ^

16

65

14

5

2004 Jul 30-Aug 1 ^

15

65

15

5

2003 May 30-Jun 1

13

64

20

3

^ Asked in rotation with North Korea; results reported based on half sample where Iran asked first.

How worried are you about Iran's ability to develop nuclear weapons -- very worried, somewhat worried, not too worried, or not at all worried?

Very
worried

Somewhat
worried

Not too
worried

Not at all
worried

No
opinion

%

%

%

%

%

2006 Jan 20-22 ^

27

47

19

6

1

^ Asked of a half sample

Based on what you have heard or read, do you think that the government of Iran is -- or is not -- attempting to develop its own nuclear weapons?

Yes, is

No, is not

No opinion

%

%

%

2006 Jan 20-22 ^

80

12

8

^ Asked of a half sample

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