NCRI – The Arab world is increasingly worried about the Iranian regime’s nuclear ambitions and meddling in the region, a poll of neighbouring countries has revealed.
The study also exposed the deep political divisions between Iran and its neighbours, who see the regime’s policies as working against peace and stability in the region.
The survey by Zogby Research Services (ZRS) polled people in six countries and Iran, and showed how attitudes towards Tehran’s ruling mullahs have changed dramatically in the past six years.
From 2006 to 2008, when Arabs were reeling from Israel’s devastation of Lebanon and still seething over the American invasion of Iraq, Iran was viewed favourably across the Middle East for its ‘resistance against the West’, the study found.
In 2008, Iran had the support of up to 80 per cent of people in many Arab countries, but the figure is now around 20 per cent with Iran seen as fuelling sectarian strife in several Arab countries, it was revealed.
ZRS’s 2012 study showed, the Iranian regime’s role supporting the Assad regime in Syria became the nail in the coffin of the regime’s reputation.
The 2014 survey has now asked Arabs whether Iran ‘contributes to peace and stability in the region’
Between 74 to 88 per cent of Jordanians, Egyptians, Saudis, and Emiratis said it did not. Even 57 per cent of Iraqis saw Iran’s regional role as having a negative impact.
Significant majorities in these same countries maintained that Iran’s policies had a negative impact on Syria, Iraq, Bahrain and Yemen.
Substantial majorities in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE said that they did not have good relations with Iran, nor did they desire an improvement in relations.
A majority of people in most Arab countries also said they believed Iran ‘has ambitions to produce nuclear weapons’.
The study was commissioned by the Sir Bani Yas Forum, partly sponsored by the Foreign Ministry of the UAE and the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.