Negative Views of Iran Around the World

As has been the case in recent years, people around the world hold mostly negative views of Iran; majorities or pluralities in 20 of the 24 countries surveyed by Pew in 2008 express unfavorable opinions about the largely Shia nation, and opinions are often as negative in other Muslim nations as they are in other parts of the world. Many Muslim publics also continue to express doubt about Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and majorities of Muslims in six of eight countries with large Muslim populations are opposed to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. Still, Muslims in the Middle East, Asia and Africa generally do not think a nuclear-armed Iran would pose much of a threat to their country. More than two-thirds in Poland (68%), Brazil (69%), Japan (70%), Spain (77%), France (82%), and Germany (82%) offer unfavorable ratings of Iran, as do somewhat smaller majorities in 11 other countries, including 64% of Americans. Read More