More than half of Americans favor the framework Iran nuclear deal.
When asked if they support or oppose “a preliminary agreement … in which the United States and other countries would lift major economic sanctions against Iran, in exchange for Iran restricting its nuclear program in a way that makes it harder for it to produce nuclear weapons,” 58 percent of American voters said support, according to a new Quinnipiac University poll. Thirty-three percent said they do not support it.
However, only a third (35 percent) of Americans are “very confident” or “somewhat confident” the deal will prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Sixty-two percent are “not so confident,” according to the poll.
The split on the Iran nuclear deal is partisan, with 76 percent of Democrats supporting it and just 56 percent of Republicans supporting it — on the flip side, only 15 percent of Democrats don’t support it, less than half the nonsupport of Republicans (37 percent).
However, despite the partisan divide, a majority of U.S. voters support making any nuclear agreement with Iran subject to congressional approval — something most heavily pushed by Republican lawmakers.
Furthermore, a majority of Americans — 52 percent — disapprove of Obama’s handling of the situation in Iran, compared to just 37 percent who approve.
The poll spells more trouble than good news for the Obama administration ahead of a Senate hearing in which it takes up amendments on legislation that would prohibit President Obama from lifting sanctions on Iran should 60 senators disapprove of the deals, according to Omri Ceren, of the pro-Israel group the Israel Project.
The phone poll of roughly 1,400 registered U.S. voters was conducted April 16-21 with margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.
