(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Most people in Russia think the Iranian government should not continue enriching uranium, according to a poll by the Yury Levada Analytical Center. 54 per cent of respondents believe Iran should stop its nuclear program.

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, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) unanimously voted to impose sanctions against Iran after it failed to stop uranium enrichment. Ahmadinejad claimed the sanctions were illegitimate, and has announced his country is successfully enriching uranium—a process needed both to make nuclear weapons and produce electricity—in an "industrial scale." In March, a new set of UN sanctions—which include a ban on arms sales—were imposed on Iran.

In May, inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced that Iran has found a solution to technological problems and can now enrich uranium on a larger scale than before.

Russia currently manages the construction of one of Iran’s new atomic power plants. In recent months, Russia has delayed works in the facility, claiming that Iran is lagging behind on its payments. The plant is said to be worth $1.2 billion U.S.

On Aug. 31, Iranian presidential spokesman Ali Akbar Javanfekr talked about this particular situation and declared: "Iran is interested in the atomic power station at Bushehr being finished on time and specifically by Russia. (...) However, we are already considering other candidates to finish construction of the Bushehr plant in the event that problems arise again."

Polling Data

Should Iran’s nuclear program carry on, or be discontinued?

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