Majorities in many Western and some Muslim countries are willing to consider military action against Iran to prevent the Islamic republic from obtaining nuclear weapons, a global poll has revealed.
The Pew Research Centre’s poll conducted in 22 countries found majorities or pluralities in 16 countries endorsing the possibility of military action.
Americans are among the most supportive of a military option to deal with Iran with 66 per cent of those who oppose a nuclear-armed Iran saying they would consider the use of force, a figure second only to Nigeria’s 71pc.Among Europeans, the views are more mixed. In France, 59pc said they would consider the use of military force, but a sizeable minority of 41pc rejected this option.
Support for the military option is softer in Germany (51pc), Spain (50pc) and Britain (48pc), while significant numbers (39, 34 and 37pc, respectively) said it is more important to avoid a military conflict with Iran, even if it results in a nuclear-armed Tehran.
In the Muslim world, there is support for military action in Egypt (55pc), Jordan (53pc) and Lebanon, with 44pc supporting such a notion and 37pc opposing.
In Turkey, 37pc said avoiding a military conflict should be the priority while 29pc would consider the use of military force.
Russians were divided on the use of force, with 32pc in each camp, while the Chinese favoured avoiding a clash by a margin of 43 to 35pc; in Japan the priority of avoiding conflict was endorsed by 55pc to 34pc.
The poll surveyed 24,000 people in 22 countries between April 7 and May 8.
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