As the US-Iran war enters its sixth month, with no signs of easing so far, a new poll released Monday (local time) revealed that support for Washington’s war in Tehran has fallen to its lowest level since the conflict began on 28 February, with only 31% now approving of the military operation in the Islamic Republic.
USA Today cited the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll, which showed that support had fallen from 37% in March, when President Donald Trump launched the conflict against the Islamic Republic, and from 34% earlier this month. A Reuters analysis of the results attributed the decline to a growing number of Republicans opposing the war.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
Support for US military operations in Iran has dropped to 31%, the lowest since the conflict began on February 28.
The decline in support among Republicans is attributed to growing opposition to the war and discomfort with its continued military operations.
The US is shifting towards an ‘economic onslaught’ strategy, expanding sanctions and aiming to cut off Iran’s sources of revenue to isolate its economy.
Yes, countries trading with Iran face potential secondary sanctions that could cut them off from the US financial system if they do not comply with US demands.
The US is focusing on five critical sectors: digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and shipping, to sever Iran’s economic lifelines.
White House, Trump dismisses declining approval ratings
However, the White House dismissed the poll findings. In a statement, spokesperson Davis Ingle said, “What matters most to the American people is having a Commander-in-Chief who takes decisive action to eliminate threats and keep them safe, which is exactly what President Trump is doing.”
Ingle added that the US President “campaigned proudly on his promise to deny the Iranian regime the ability to develop a nuclear weapon, and Americans are already safer because of his bold leadership”.
According to the report, Trump has consistently criticised polls that show his declining approval ratings. Last week, a YouGov/Economist projection revealed that Trump’s approval rating was negative in most states, excluding Idaho, West Virginia and Wyoming.
In a Truth Social post, he wrote, “The Radical Left Democrats are going CRAZY with Fake Polls. They’re putting them out at levels never seen before. They’re called “Demoralisation Operations,” where they try to demoralise Republicans so that they don’t go out and vote — But the actual Polls are tremendous, and the Spirit in our Country has never been higher. We’re winning against EVERYONE, including Iran, whose Country is in an economic and Military Death Spiral.”
US opts for ‘economic onslaught’ approach
Trump administration officials have recently indicated that Washington is shifting towards an “economic onslaught” against Iran instead of pursuing a military campaign. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US plans to tighten sanctions on Tehran to cut off its sources of revenue.
However, US troops remain deployed in the Middle East, while Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is travelling across the country and urging American weapons manufacturers to speed up production.
US announces expanded sanctions on Iran
On Monday, Bessent laid out Washington’s plan for the “economic asphyxiation” of Iran, expanding secondary sanctions and warning of dire consequences for nations that do not join the campaign, AFP reported.
Earlier, the Treasury Secretary said the US was declaring an “economic D-Day” on the Islamic Republic. However, his announcement did not name any specific countries other than Tehran and did not provide any timelines.
Addressing reporters, Bessent said, “Around the globe, our objective is to sever every economic lifeline that sustains this tyrannical regime until Tehran stands alone,” and he added, “We are going to hold everyone accountable, and this is economic asphyxiation of this regime.” Bessent further said that countries that do not join the US in its sanctions against Iran would “share” in Iran’s isolation.
As the war enters its sixth month with no signs of easing, it remains to be seen whether Washington’s expanded sanctions will put further pressure on Tehran.
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