A recent survey by Ham Mihan, a state-controlled newspaper, reveals that 92% of Iranians are dissatisfied with the country’s current state, an unprecedented admission from a government-aligned source. The data, collected in November 2023, exposes public frustration over economic instability, with 81.9% of respondents identifying inflation and 47.9% pointing to unemployment as the most critical issue. This survey, known as the “Fourth National Survey on Values and Attitudes of Iranians,” analyzed various social problems, including corruption, poverty, and declining public safety.
State-affiliated sociologist Simin Kazemi remarked, “Only 8.2% of respondents believe the current situation is acceptable, while 30% see no hope for reforms.” While referencing the official and fraudulent figures, Kazemi highlighted that the 60% abstention rate during the 2023 presidential election mirrored the rising disillusionment, warning that the regime faces a growing threat of social and political instability. “The increasing dissatisfaction is a clear warning for the state. If it fails to address the people’s concerns, the risk of major social upheaval is inevitable,” she added.
Watch and judge how this former #Iranian official (who happens to be the son of former regime's president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani) warns the state's leadership against #IranRevolution pic.twitter.com/dAS7ewKL8M
— NCRI-FAC (@iran_policy) December 28, 2023
This survey claims to be comprehensive, polling more than 15,000 participants from 15 provinces, with the lowest levels of optimism recorded in West Azerbaijan and Kurdistan. Other key findings highlighted social insecurities, with 55.2% of people feeling unsafe in their neighborhoods. Job insecurity was also a major concern, as 69.5% of participants feared losing their employment. The report underlines the growing anxiety surrounding daily life in Iran, acknowledging that a great majority feel the regime is refusing to address the core economic and social issues that dominate their lives.
As the second anniversary of the 2022 uprising approaches, the Iranian regime is facing heightened pressure from widespread discontent. Daily protests by a broad segment of society, long fuel station queues, and bakeries discarding ruined dough onto the streets due to power outages all point to growing unrest. These signs reflect deep dissatisfaction across various social strata, suggesting that another major uprising may be on the horizon.
