Diplomatic overtures from Iran during the U.N. General Assembly seem to have softened American views of Iran, according to a new Economist/YouGov poll. On September 13, some 52 percent of respondents considered Iran an enemy. But on September 30, only 36 percent did. The following are results from the report, some of which compare public opinion before and after the assembly.
Just after President Barack Obama’s 2008 election, 62 percent of Americans favored personal involvement by the president in negotiations with Iran on its controversial nuclear program. About 64 percent of Americans still did in September 2013.
Americans, however, were divided on how to negotiate with Iran. Some 30 percent of those asked were unsure of how to get Iran to limit its nuclear program. Nearly equal amounts of respondents favored rewarding Iran by lifting sanctions, threatening Iran with harsher ones or rewarding Iran with resuming diplomatic relations. About 19 percent favored threatening Tehran with military force.
The events related to the U.N. General Assembly, including conciliatory remarks by President Hassan Rouhani and President Obama’s historic call with his Iranian counterpart, seemed to have softened American views of Iran. The percentage of Americans who considered Iran an enemy dropped some 16 points to 36 percent between September 13 and September 30.
The public was more or less split on Obama’s handling of Iran. About 38 percent approved of Obama and 36 percent disapproved, while just over a quarter of Americans did not express an opinion.