Gaman Institute Poll Results: “Government Corruption and Incompetence” Blamed for Iran’s Economic Situation

The latest poll results from the Gaman Institute show that 86.2 percent of Iranians believe “government corruption and incompetence” have had the most negative impact on Iran’s current economic situation. Furthermore, according to these poll results and among political orientations, “overthrowing” the Islamic Republic has the most supporters.

The Gaman Institute, in publishing a report on the poll “Iranians’ Attitudes Toward Relations with the World,” stated in its introduction: “Gaman is a non-profit, independent research institute registered in the Netherlands.”

According to this report, the poll included more than 23,000 respondents, “and the final sample used to prepare this report consisted of 20,097 Iranians inside the country.”

Based on this poll released on Wednesday, November 26, only 9.7 percent of participants said “sanctions and foreign pressures” have been effective in Iran’s current economic situation, and four percent also said they did not know the correct answer.

In its poll, the institute asked respondents about their views on two slogans supported by government supporters and two slogans used by opponents of the Islamic Republic.

According to the poll results, 73 percent of Iranians opposed the slogan “Death to America” and 65.5 percent opposed the slogan “Death to Israel.”

Meanwhile, 72.8 percent of Iranians agreed with the slogan “The enemy is right here, they’re lying that it’s America” and 63.7 percent agreed with the slogan “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, my life for Iran.”

According to the Gaman Institute report, 55.1 percent of Iranians consider suspending uranium enrichment to lift sanctions the correct decision regarding the nuclear program. This is while 27.4 percent of poll participants consider continuing uranium enrichment despite sanctions an appropriate decision, and 17.5 percent said they did not know the correct answer.

According to this poll, 56 percent of Iranians support a nuclear program for peaceful purposes, 26.9 percent are generally opposed to Iran’s nuclear program, 10.8 percent of participants support Iran’s nuclear program for various purposes and building atomic weapons, and 6.4 percent said they have no opinion on this matter.

The Gaman Institute asked respondents about agreeing on other disputed issues with the West during negotiations to revive the JCPOA. 34.5 percent of respondents said they are “completely in favor” of this, 17.2 percent of participants were “somewhat in favor,” 5.5 percent were “somewhat opposed,” and 20.1 percent were “completely opposed.”

28.3 percent of Iranians participating in the poll about relations with the world “completely” disagreed with the statement that “the JCPOA agreement was in the interest of the Iranian people until the US withdrew from it,” and 9 percent also said they were “somewhat opposed.” While 15.6 percent of them “completely agreed” and 26.9 percent were also “somewhat in favor.” Among these, 20.2 percent also said they had no opinion or information about it.

Gaman asked its respondents four options about “their thoughts on Iran’s Islamic Republic’s program for developing ballistic missiles.” 37.1 percent of participants said they only support the missile development program if it does not cause sanctions on the country; however, 27.5 percent of them generally opposed the missile development program. 25.6 percent said they support it even if this program causes sanctions on the country, and 9.8 percent also did not give an opinion.

Based on this poll, 52.1 percent of Iranians have a positive view of America. Iranians’ positive views of the European Union are 48.6 percent, Israel 34.7 percent, and Saudi Arabia 27.4 percent. China, the United Kingdom, and Russia are in the following rankings.

According to this report, 27 percent of Iranians have a positive view of China, 25.2 percent of the United Kingdom, and 22.6 percent of Russia.

Among international organizations, 61.8 percent have a positive view of the World Health Organization and 47 percent have a positive view of the United Nations.

Also, poll participants answered the question of which US president’s foreign policy was most beneficial to the Iranian people. 29.4 percent of them considered Donald Trump’s policies “more in the interest of the Iranian people” and 7.4 percent said they consider Joe Biden’s policies in the interest of the Iranian people. 14.6 percent also did not give an opinion or said they did not know the correct answer.

Based on this poll, 46.6 percent of Iranians believe the withdrawal of American military forces from Afghanistan is not in the interest of regional security. This is while 25.8 percent of participants considered it beneficial for regional security. 16.2 percent said they do not know what the correct answer is, and 11.4 percent also did not consider it to have any effect on regional security.

According to this poll, 71 percent of Iranians opposed the agreement of the Islamic Republic of Iran for a 25-year cooperation with China and also the agreement on the legal regime of the Caspian Sea with Russia, and 66.5 percent also said they opposed the 20-year agreement between Iran and Russia.

60.9 percent of Iranians think global powers should monitor the human rights situation in Iran and take practical action if necessary. 57.1 percent of them also negatively assessed Iran’s role in recent developments in Syria.

33.6 percent of participants in this poll considered the actions of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in the region to have increased Iran’s security, while 31.6 percent of them think this interference has decreased Iran’s security.

Based on this poll, most Iranians oppose Bashar al-Assad’s government in Syria and Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela. Also, the majority of Iranians opposed Hezbollah groups in Lebanon, Hamas in Palestine, Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, and Houthis in Yemen.

According to 52.8 percent of participants in this poll, the probability that tension between Iran and Israel will ultimately lead to direct military confrontation is low. However, 31.8 percent of them consider this probability “high.”

Based on the results of this poll, 67.9 percent of Iranians did not vote in the 2021 presidential election.

According to this poll, overthrowing the Islamic Republic as a prerequisite for any change in Iran, with 34.7 percent in favor, has the most supporters among respondents, while 24.5 percent of them seek structural developments for a transition from the Islamic Republic.

15.9 percent of participants stated their political orientation as supporting the system’s and leadership’s policies and 11.9 percent also believe in gradual reforms within the framework of the Islamic Republic.

Ammar Maleki, professor at Tilburg University in the Netherlands and one of the directors of the Gaman Institute, in an interview with the Farsi section of Voice of America about this poll finding that 86 percent of people blame government corruption and incompetence for their economic situation, said these results are consistent with similar polls by the Iranian government.

Mr. Maleki emphasized that the findings of this poll are based on a 95 percent confidence level from similar polls considering Iran’s demographic characteristics.

Source: Voice of America