Poll: Most Iranians say sanctions hurting their personal livelihoods

TEHRAN, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Most Iranians say international sanctions hurt their livelihoods, but a majority said Iran should still pursue nuclear power, a Gallup poll indicated.

Eighty-five percent of people polled in Iran say international sanctions have hurt their own livelihoods, and have hurt the livelihood of Iranians as a people overall, results released Wednesday indicated.

Despite the perceived economic toll, 68 percent of Iranians said their country should keep developing nuclear power despite the sanctions, the poll said. Western nations say they fear Iran is developing a nuclear weapon. Iran says its nuclear pursuits are for peaceful purposes.

A plurality of Iranians, 46 percent, said they hold the United States responsible for the sanctions while 13 percent held their own government most responsible, the Princeton, N.J., polling firm said. Nine percent blamed Israel, 6 percent blamed Western European countries and 6 percent said the United Nations was responsible.

Results are based on telephone interviews with 4,507 adults conducted Dec. 16, 2011-Jan. 10, 2012; Nov. 6-Dec. 11, 2012; and May 24-June 6, 2013. The margin of error ranges from 2.8 percentage points to 4 percentage points.