October 19, 2007

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Russia are divided in their assessment of their country’s current relationship with Iran, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 38 per cent of respondents want Russia’s collaboration with Iran’s nuclear program to continue despite the diplomatic strains it has caused, while 28 per cent disagree.

(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Adults in Russia are divided in their assessment of their country’s current relationship with Iran, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 38 per cent of respondents want Russia’s collaboration with Iran’s nuclear program to continue despite the diplomatic strains it has caused, while 28 per cent disagree.

After being branded as part of an "axis of evil" by U.S. president George W. Bush in January 2002, Iran has contended that its nuclear program aims to produce energy, not weapons. In June 2005, former Tehran mayor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad won Iran’s presidential election in a run-off over Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani with 61.6 per cent of all cast ballots.

In December 2006 and March 2007, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) imposed sanctions against Iran after it failed to stop uranium enrichment—a process needed both to make nuclear weapons and produce electricity.

Russia currently manages the construction of one of Iran’s new atomic power plants. On Oct. 16, Ahmadinejad and Russian president Vladimir Putin met in Tehran. Putin discussed the current state of affairs, saying, "Russia has clearly stated that it’s going to complete this work. We are not renouncing this obligation."

On Oct. 17, Bush was asked to comment on the meeting between Ahmadinejad and Putin, and said: "My leadership style has been to try to be in a position where I actually can influence people. And one way to do that is to have personal relationships that enable me to sit down and tell people what’s on my mind without fear of rupturing relations. And that’s how I’ve tried to conduct my business with Vladimir Putin. We don’t agree on a lot of issues; we do agree on some. Iran is one; nuclear proliferation is another. Reducing our nuclear warheads was an issue that we agreed on early."

Polling Data

The collaboration of Russia with Iran’s nuclear program has caused diplomatic strains in the West. Should Russia continue collaborating with Iran in this matter?

Yes	38%
No	28%
Hard to answer	34%

Source: Yury Levada Analytical Center
Methodology: Interviews with 1,600 Russian adults, conducted from Oct. 5 to Oct. 10, 2007. No margin of error was provided.