USA
به زبان فارسی
PICTORY
LATEST MUSIC
SEARCH
Some answers
11-Dec-2008
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In August of 2008, the Public Affairs of Alliance of Iranian Americans (PAAIA) commissioned Zogby International to conduct a national public opinion survey of Iranian Americans to gather accurate and timely information about the demographics and views of the Iranian American community. The purpose of this unprecedented survey is to provide PAAIA with the knowledge required to more effectively represent the Iranian American community, and to further inform and educate the American public at large, as well as U.S. policy makers and opinion makers about Iranian Americans. The survey’s margin of error is +/- 5%.
The results of this PAAIA/Zogby survey indicate that nearly all Iranian Americans are either citizens (81%) or permanent residents (15%) of the United States. While their ethnic heritage is important to the vast majority of Iranian Americans in defining their identity, they appear to be well-assimilated into American society, with only one in five indicating that they interact mostly with other Iranian Americans outside of work, and more than half indicating English as the language or one of two languages most often spoken at home.
The survey paints the picture of a diverse and relatively affluent Iranian American community. While two-fifths of Iranian Americans identify themselves as Muslims, almost an equal percentage appear not to practice any particular religion, and the balance are roughly equally divided among Christians, Jews, Bahais and Zoroastrians. Almost one in three Iranian American households have annual incomes of more than $100K (compared to one in five for the overall U.S. population).
According to the survey results, four of every five Iranian American is registered to vote. Also, a relatively significant margin have in the past engaged in electoral activities other than voting, with about one in three having either met or communicated with public officials, or having donated money to a political candidate or campaign. About one half of Iranian Americans surveyed identified themselves as registered Democrats, in contrast to one in eight as Republicans and one in four as independents.
More than half of Iranian Americans cite domestic U.S. issues, including issues that are not unique to Iranian Americans, as the most important to them. In contrast, one quarter of Iranian Americans cite foreign policy issues involving U.S.-Iran relations and less than one in ten cite the internal affairs of Iran as being of greatest importance to them. On matters impacting Iranian Americans in the U.S., the two most important issues cited were facilitating greater understanding between the peoples of the United States and Iran (85%) and ensuring that the image of Iranian Americans in the U.S. accurately reflects their values and accomplishments (75%).
Nearly half of Iranian Americans surveyed have themselves experienced or personally know another Iranian American who has experienced discrimination because of their ethnicity or country of origin. The most common types of discrimination reported are airport security, social discrimination, employment or business discrimination, racial profiling and discrimination at the hands of immigration officials.
An overwhelming eighty-four percent of all Iranian Americans support the establishment of a U.S. interest section in Iran that would provide consular services and issue U.S. visas. The establishment of such an interest section would serve American citizens, including many Iranian Americans, traveling to Iran and would facilitate the travel of their relatives from Iran to the U.S., but would not amount to the establishment by the United States government of formal diplomatic relations with Iran.
Finally, the survey indicates that almost three-quarters of Iranian Americans believe the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran is the most important issue relating to U.S.-Iran relations. About the same percentage, however, believe diplomacy is the foreign policy approach towards Iran that would be in the best interest of the United States.
Zogby International is a pre-eminent polling firm that has been tracking public opinion throughout the world since 1984 and has a particular expertise in conducting polls of or about ethnic communities in the United States.
Please click here for the complete report.
For a copy of the press release on Zogby International's website, please click here.
| Recently by PAAIA | Comments | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Setting the Record Straight: PAAIA Responds to Unfounded Attacks | 9 | Sep 07, 2012 |
| "The Iranian Americans" Documentary | 2 | Aug 20, 2012 |
| Lawmakers Urge President Obama to Enable Humanitarian Assistance to Iran | 2 | Aug 16, 2012 |
RECENT COMMENTS
IRANIANS OF THE DAY
| Person | About | Day |
|---|---|---|
| نسرین ستوده: زندانی روز | Dec 04 | |
| Saeed Malekpour: Prisoner of the day | Lawyer says death sentence suspended | Dec 03 |
| Majid Tavakoli: Prisoner of the day | Iterview with mother | Dec 02 |
| احسان نراقی: جامعه شناس و نویسنده ۱۳۰۵-۱۳۹۱ | Dec 02 | |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Prisoner of the day | 46 days on hunger strike | Dec 01 |
| Nasrin Sotoudeh: Graffiti | In Barcelona | Nov 30 |
| گوهر عشقی: مادر ستار بهشتی | Nov 30 | |
| Abdollah Momeni: Prisoner of the day | Activist denied leave and family visits for 1.5 years | Nov 30 |
| محمد کلالی: یکی از حمله کنندگان به سفارت ایران در برلین | Nov 29 | |
| Habibollah Golparipour: Prisoner of the day | Kurdish Activist on Death Row | Nov 28 |
Thank you
by Jahanshah Javid on Thu Dec 11, 2008 03:46 PM PSTPAAIA has done a great service to our community by hiring a top-notch polling firm to carry out this survey in a professional manner. These stats will be extremely useful for years to come. Thank you!
One More Data
by Nader Vanaki on Thu Dec 11, 2008 03:25 PM PST..And ninety five percent of those polled, irrespective of age, gender, education, income, or profession think their phone has been tapped since 9/11.
Dose of reality: Emptry attacks?
by Mehdi on Thu Dec 11, 2008 02:58 PM PSTYou make a general claim about my comment but provide zero details as to how I did that? What did I selectively ignore? Would you care to enlighten us? Or is it just an empty crack you are making?
Point 2. Are you denying that if there was a referendum today in Iran, by far the majority would vote for Islamic Republic again? Are you saying my claim is invalid? Would you care to elaborate?
d: I read it again.
by Mehdi on Thu Dec 11, 2008 02:53 PM PSTThe explanation that "but would not amount to the establishment by the United States government of formal diplomatic relations with Iran" is not part of the question or a condition for the question. It's just explaining that it does not NECESSARILY lead to re-establishment or relations. Now answer me this, are you denying that opening such an "interest section" is effectively a major step towards re-establishment of relations? Are you denying that according to this survey by far majority of Iranians want a re-establishment or relations?
Yes, the great majority also want the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran. But "About the same percentage, however, believe diplomacy is the foreign policy approach towards Iran that would be in the best interest of the United States." Correct me if I am wrong, but to me, that means they do not believe that human rights will be improved by antagonistic bullying tactics but instead by establishing friendly dialogue. So I don't think I read it wrong.
But you are the one who is actually distorting the clearly printed result by adding your own opinion that "So not until that criteria is met do..." There is no such statement made or in any way indicated according to the survey. In fact the survey generally indicates that Iranian-Americans do not believe there should be a pre-condition on friendly relations.
To D: Mehdi reads it as he wants to read it
by Dose of reality (not verified) on Thu Dec 11, 2008 02:24 PM PSTYou should realize that this fellow Mehdi like the ruling mullahs is extremely selective and only sees and reads what he wants to see and read, not what actually is there. In another thread he also claimed with such great confidence that if there is ever a referendum in Iran now, everybody would unquestionably vote for the Islamic Republic AGAIN.
Mehdi, you need to read more closely
by d (not verified) on Thu Dec 11, 2008 02:02 PM PSTYou are incorrect. According to the survey 84% want only an establishment of a US interest section in Iran in order to facilitate travel, "BUT THAT WOULD NOT AMOUNT TO THE ESTABLISHMENT BY THE US GOVT OF FORMAL DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH IRAN." Direct quote from the survey.
What the great majority also seems to want (75%) is the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran. That they see as the most important issue relating to U.S.-Iran relations. So not until that criteria is met do Iranian-Americans seem to favor a "re-establishment of relations." So, that is what Iran needs to work on. A pretty tall order for this government, its track record, its current practices, its future intentions, and cast of characters.
Great Job! Thank you very much.
by Mehdi on Thu Dec 11, 2008 01:34 PM PSTThis is a very valuable survey. Instead of shooting in the dark and personal opinions, now we know what this community wants.
Re-establishment of US-Iran relations is what they want. The best way to help Iran and Iranians, as well as the rest of the world.
human rights and democracy is against Iran's independance
by Seyyid (not verified) on Thu Dec 11, 2008 01:31 PM PSTThe survey indicates that "almost three-quarters of Iranian Americans believe the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran is the most important issue relating to U.S.-Iran relations." but one should not forget that the promotion of human rights and democracy in Iran is interference in Iran's internal affairs and therefore loss of Iran's independance which was acquired at a heavy price in 1979.
A survery of the visitors and permanent residents of this site
by WOW (not verified) on Thu Dec 11, 2008 01:04 PM PSTWell if they make a survery of the visitors and permanent residents of this site, the result would be quite the opposite of what they discovered with Iranian-Americans since I know for sure, the majority (or those few who comment under hundreds of different aliases) on this Website are extremely fond of the Iranian ruling mullahs and the IR establishment and see absolutely nothing wrong with it.
What's up cupcakes?
by Saman on Thu Dec 11, 2008 12:54 PM PSTI'm not only here to read this important info, but I'm also here to say ... CHETORI RUDI...CHETORI NIYAZ?
Thanks
by Kaveh Nouraee on Thu Dec 11, 2008 02:23 PM PSTThank you for posting this. This is indeed very important information.