WHY DO THEY LOVE US?:

Poll on US ties rocks Iran (BBC, 2 October, 2002)

Media heads face prosecution in Iran over a ground-breaking opinion poll on mending relations with the United States.

It showed a large majority of the population in favour of dialogue with the "Great Satan" and nearly half showing sympathy with US policy on Iran. [...]

The reformist-dominated national parliament, which commissioned the poll, has defended it and called for the prosecutions to be dropped.

According to the poll of 1,500 Iranians, conducted by three separate institutes including the National Institute for Research Studies and Opinion Polls (NIRSOP) and published by Irna on 22 September:

74% of respondents over the age of 15 support dialogue with the US

45.8% believe Washington's policy on Iran is "to some extent correct".

In a strange sense, Iran may be one of the more open countries in the Middle East. One wonders how many other populaces in the region might return similar results if they could answer such questions honestly and without fear of reprisal.
Posted by Orrin Judd at October 6, 2002 12:54 PM