New survey shows widespread opposition to Iran’s regime among Iranians

A recent survey conducted by the Netherlands-based Group for Analyzing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran (GAMAAN) revealed widespread opposition to the Islamic Republic among Iranians both inside and outside the country.

The survey, titled “Iranians’ Attitudes Toward the 2022 Nationwide Protests,” was conducted between December 21-31, 2022 and received responses from 200,000 participants, with 157,000 from within Iran and 42,000 from outside. The results were released on Saturday.

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The survey results showed that 81 percent of respondents inside Iran oppose the Islamic Republic, while only 15 percent support it.

Of the Iranian respondents abroad, 99 percent said they oppose the Islamic Republic.

When asked about their preferred form of government, the majority of those opposed to the Islamic Republic said they would prefer a presidential republic.

The survey showed that 80 percent of Iranians within the country and 99 percent outside the country support the recent anti-regime protests, sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody.

The survey also found that the majority of Iranians both inside (73 percent) and abroad (96 percent) believe that Western countries should support protesters in Iran by exerting pressure on the Islamic Republic.

On the other hand, 19 percent of those within Iran opposed Western intervention, according to the survey.

Regarding measures the West could take against the regime, the survey showed that 73 percent inside Iran and 97 percent abroad support designating the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization; 74 percent inside Iran and 92 percent abroad support expelling Iranian ambassadors from the West; and 62 percent inside Iran and 89 percent abroad support ending negotiations with the Islamic Republic aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear deal.

In regards to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, 46 percent of respondents inside the country and 56 percent abroad said they were happy about the Iranian national football team’s loss to the US; 23 percent inside Iran and 8 percent abroad said they felt sad; and 30 percent inside Iran and 36 percent abroad said they were indifferent.

The protests in Iran led to many Iranians turning against their national football team and refusing to support them in the World Cup.

They viewed the team as representing the regime rather than the people of Iran, and celebrated Iran’s losses against England and the US on social media and in the streets.

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