Russian Opinion Poll Shows More Sympathy Toward Iran

Aggravation of the crisis around Iran has produced a certain effect on what people in Russia think - they are showing more sympathy for the Iranians now although they have controversial feelings about Iran's nuclear program, says an opinion poll taken by the Public Opinions Foundation (FOM).

About 40% Russians are sympathetic with Iranians, which is 9% more than last November, while the number of respondents describing Iran as an unfriendly country has reduced by 2% to 23%.

More than a third of all Russians, or 37%, are undecided in their approach to that country. As many as 37% of those polled said they approved of cooperation with Iran in nuclear projects - a 10% increase from November, and only one respondent in five disapproved of the Iranians' nuclear endeavor.

In the meantime, 40% of those polled said they were worried by the
resumption of nuclear technology research in Iran, but 43% respondents said they were unconcerned by this.

The number of respondents believing that a potential threat is coming out of Teheran stands at 35%, while 40% believe there is no such threat. One Russian in four believes Iran is developing an exclusively peaceful nuclear program, but 35% respondents said the Iranians were most likely working to produce nuclear weapons.

Only 28% Russian would rather support UN sanctions against Iran and the same percentage of people would rather not. Other respondents were undecided or had no answer to it.

The poll embraced more than 2,000 people in a hundred population centers across the country.