Survey: 62% of Iranians willing to stop uranium enrichment

Two surveys about Iran's nuclear program published a day ago on the Internet site of Islamic Republic's state-run television broadcaster, Khabar, were quickly taken offline after the responses failed to back up the government's line.

The first survey asked Iranians how the nation should deal with the "unilateral sanctions imposed by the West?" Sixty-two percent responded that Iran should stop enriching uranium in return for the gradual removal of the sanctions. Another 21% responded that they would support "a response by Iran, in which the Strait of Hormuz was closed" and the rest responded "opposing sanctions to preserve Iran's rights on the nuclear issue."

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This was the first time the Iranian broadcasting authority, considered a mouthpiece for the regime, posted its own poll that included a "stop uranium enrichment" response.

Parchin base. Most poll respondents were willing to stop nuclear enrichment

An additional poll posted shortly after the first one asked site visitors their opinion of a bill brought before the Iranian parliament that would close the Strait of Hormuz in response to EU sanctions.

A whopping 89% of respondents said they opposed the bill, with only 11% expressing support. Only a few hours after it was posted, the site's editors removed the survey and replaced it with one on soccer.

In an attempt to explain the results, editors said that only 2,000 surfers had responded and that they did not necessarily provide a true reflection of Iranian public opinion.  

The Farsi-language surveys were open to all readers of the site, even non-residents – such as Iranians living abroad who oppose the current government.

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