Poll: Most Americans want swift end to Iran war while backing nuclear, security goals

At the same time, 53% said it would be unacceptable for the war to conclude with the Iranian regime still in power.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

A CBS poll published Sunday found that most Americans want the war with Iran to end quickly while also backing key objectives, including protecting the Iranian people, dismantling Tehran’s nuclear program, and preventing further regional threats.

The survey, conducted from Tuesday through Friday of last week among 3,335 American adults, representative of the US population, showed broad agreement on several priorities. According to the poll, 92% said it was important for the conflict to end as soon as possible, while four in five respondents said ensuring the safety and freedom of the Iranian people was important. Additionally, 73% supported permanently ending the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, and 68% said it was important to stop Iran from posing a threat to other countries.

At the same time, 53% said it would be unacceptable for the war to conclude with the Iranian regime still in power.

Despite support for those objectives, opposition to the war itself has grown. According to CBS, 60% now oppose the conflict, up from 56% on March 3, while approval stood at 40%, down from 44%. About two-thirds of respondents described the conflict as a “war of choice,” compared to 34% who said it was a war of necessity.

The poll also found declining confidence in how clearly the Trump administration has communicated its goals. On March 3, 38% said the objectives were clearly explained, compared to 32% in the latest survey.

In a Truth Social post on Friday, US President Donald Trump outlined five goals: degrading Iranian missile capabilities, destroying its defense industrial base, dismantling its navy, air force, and air defenses, preventing nuclear advancement, and protecting US allies in the Middle East. He wrote the US was “getting very close” to achieving these goals.

A narrow majority of respondents said deploying US ground troops would not be necessary.

The poll also indicated that more Americans believe the war will make the US less safe than safer. Some 49% said it would reduce safety in the short term, compared to 27% who said it would improve it. Over the long term, 42% said it would make the US less safe, while 36% said it would make it safer.

Views on the war’s duration varied, with 37% expecting it to last months, 19% saying days or weeks, 14% predicting years, and 30% unsure. Support for the war was concentrated among Republicans, with 84% backing military action, rising to 92% among MAGA Republicans, while Democrats and Independents largely opposed it.