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Washington, DC – Amidst ever-heightening tension between the U.S., Israel, and Iran, a new poll found that approximately two-thirds (63%) of Iranian-Americans oppose U.S. military strikes against Iran, while only 13% would be in favor of such action. 70% of respondents oppose Israeli strikes. The poll, conducted by Zogby Research Services and commissioned by the Public Affairs Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) found that two-thirds (66%) of Iranian Americans are worried that a military strike against Iran is now more likely than ever. According to the poll, Iranian-American opposition to military action is founded on concerns for the well being of Iranians as well as concerns about the effects strikes would have politically, economically and socially in the United States. 80% of respondents said they were concerned about civilian casualties that would result from military action—84% of those polled still have family within Iran. 70% of Iranian Americans said they believed military action would severely harm American political and economic interests. About two-thirds (63%) of Iranian Americans polled said that military strikes would strengthen the Iranian regime, and 62% believed strikes would only make the Iranian government more determined to acquire nuclear weapons. More than half (55%) of respondents said increased hostilities would result in discriminatory actions against Iranian Americans and targeting by U.S. law enforcement agencies. 57% of the respondents said that the only circumstance that would gain Iranian-American support for military strikes (57%) would be in response to the Iranian government’s mass murder of civilians, and despite this 26% would oppose strikes under any circumstances. It is important to note that Iranian-American’s clear aversion to military action does not equate to any type of support for the government of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The previously released PAIAA/Zogby 2011 survey showed that 67% of Iranian-Americans did want the Iranian government to become increasingly secular and make democratic reforms, while only 2% preferred the status quo. |
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