By Kayhan Life Staff
In late February, the Phoenix Project of Iran (PPI), a nonprofit scientific organization based in Washington, D.C., surveyed Iranians’ social priorities.
The survey’s goal was to gather field research on the key social issues that Iranians believe should shape their country’s future. The results and analysis was to be publicly shared.
The preliminary findings of the survey, titled “Understanding the Priorities of Iranians,” which included 33 questions and was conducted online over one week, have now been released.
A total of 12,707 participants completed the survey, including 9,253 from within Iran. The survey has a credibility coefficient of 95 percent, with a margin of error of ±1.2 percent.
Women’s participation in the survey has notably increased compared to previous surveys conducted by the same think tank, surpassing 32 percent.
Most participants were young people aged 18 to the early 40s, with the second-largest group being those aged 50 to 60. As a result, most respondents were either born after the 1979 Islamic Revolution or were very young (aged under 18) at the time.
The respondents primarily came from the provinces of Tehran, Isfahan, Alborz, Khorasan Razavi, Fars, Mazandaran, Gilan, and Khuzestan, with nearly 95 percent of them residing in urban areas.
Regarding their views on the U.S. maximum pressure campaign against the Islamic Republic, 87 percent expressed a positive opinion, 8 percent had an unfavorable opinion, and 5 percent were indifferent. Additionally, 68 percent said they believed this policy would lead to internal changes in Iran, while 21 percent were unsure, and 11 percent did not think it would bring about any change.
In response to the “most suitable form of government” question for Iran’s future, nearly 80 percent of respondents favored a parliamentary monarchy. Approximately 13 percent of respondents supported a parliamentary republic, while only 0.34 percent viewed an Islamic republic as the most “suitable.”
Those uncertain or preferring other political models made up 5.36 percent and 2.29 percent, respectively, of respondents – significantly higher percentages than those advocating for the Islamic Republic.
Regarding the reasons behind the ongoing protests in Iran, more than 67 percent of respondents said they believed the protesters were demanding regime change. More than 23 percent attributed the protests to economic issues, more than 5 percent to calls for greater freedom, and 0.15 percent to demands for freedom of choice in clothing, fewer than those who cited “other” reasons, at 3.77 percent.
In response to a long-standing question about Iran’s political future, 89.42 percent of respondents supported Prince Reza Pahlavi to lead a transitional period. Nearly 6 percent expressed no support for any leader, 3.99 percent favored an active political figure within Iran, and 0.70 percent backed an activist outside the country, excluding Reza Pahlavi.
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Among the 3.99 percent supporting political figures in Iran, 3.52 percent supported a conservative, 36.04 percent supported a reformist, and 60.43 percent supported other activists, indicating that some who backed the current regime also considered the idea of a transitional period.
Furthermore, 96.99 percent strongly agreed with the separation of religion from the state in Iran’s future, 1.95 percent somewhat agreed, 0.29 percent disagreed, and 0.13 percent somewhat disagreed, while 0.73 percent of those opposed to the idea had no opinion.
Regarding Iran’s territorial integrity, 97.38 percent affirmed their belief in it, 0.67 percent did not, and 1.95 percent were uncertain, with fewer respondents supporting separatist views.
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The survey also explored trust in various projects and institutions among respondents.
The trust levels in various organizations and initiatives were as follows:
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59.24 percent in the PPI itself,
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16.48 percent in the Iran “Prosperity Project” proposed by the National Union for Democracy in Iran (NUFDI), “an organization representing the Iranian-American community,”
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13.88 percent in the NUFDI,
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5.89 percent in the “Hope for Iran” Project proposed by Omid Iran, “a group of patriotic experts, scientists, and researchers with a monarchist inclination in the fields of knowledge and technology,” and
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1.75 percent in the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), “a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 2002 to represent the Iranian-American community.”
The survey’s final question asked respondents whether they would vote for the Islamic Republic, with 99.66 percent answering “No” and 0.34 percent answering “Yes.”
The range of responses highlights the broad participation of various groups — ranging from critics and opponents to supporters of the Islamic Republic, its factions, international lobbyists, separatists, and those unsure or skeptical about Iran’s territorial integrity.
A key observation is that this diverse and sometimes contradictory spectrum (e.g., supporters vs. opponents of the Islamic Republic or territorial integrity) aligns on specific issues, such as opinions on the ideal leader for the transitional period and the motivations behind the protests.
The survey results and charts are available on the PPI website and this think tank’s social media platforms.
