‘75% of Iranians against ending nuke enrichment, even if US cuts sanctions’
A new poll released Wednesday night revealed that 75% of Iranians are now against ending the country’s nuclear enrichment program, even if the US reduces sanctions.
According to the data obtained by the group IranPoll on behalf of the University of Maryland, the Trump administration’s sanctions dating back to May 2018 have not moved the average Iranian toward compromise with the US.
The data also shows that a vast majority of Iranians, around 70%, are still critical of their government when it comes to corruption and whether the economy is run properly.
Covering a wide range of issues, the survey addresses Iran’s regional involvements; attitudes toward the Iran Deal and its future; and the current political and economic state of affairs in Iran.
Fifteen months after the US withdrew from the Iran deal (JCPOA) and began reimposing sanctions on Iran, 59% of Iranians think their country should also withdraw, according to the poll.
In addition, 74% of Iranians support the government’s new policy of gradually exceeding some JCPOA limits and threatening withdrawal unless others start to restore the deal’s economic benefits for the Islamic Republic.
A strong majority of 69% lack confidence that the remaining parties to the JCPOA, such as the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States – plus Germany) will uphold their obligations. This is up 33 points since January 2018, when average Iranians had more faith in them.
Only 24% view European efforts to create channels for trade with Iran positively, with 46% doubting such efforts are meaningful and another 25% saying EU efforts are “too little, too late.”
Regarding the 70% of Iranians who view the economy negatively, that statistic has remained constant since the start of 2018, before the US reimposed sanctions.
Interestingly, the poll said that the focus of their negative view of the government’s management of the economy has shifted sharply from unemployment to inflation.
A majority of Iranians still say domestic mismanagement and corruption have the greater negative impact on the economy. However, the percentage of Iranians blaming sanctions for the economic downturn is increasing, and 70% are now more in favor of self-sufficiency than increasing international trade.