WANA (Jun 03) – According to the latest poll conducted by an Iranian domestic opinion research institute, the popularity of Iran’s President, Masoud Pezeshkian, has dropped significantly over the past six months. The report indicates that his approval rating fell from around 50% in September 2024 to just 23% by March 2025—an abrupt decline that has prompted analysts and political observers to question the underlying causes.

 

Three key factors appear to have contributed to this downward trend:

 

First, a surge in inflation and rising living costs has placed immense pressure on large segments of society. The government’s economic responses, according to many, have been viewed as inadequate or lacking coherent planning.

 

Second, the administration’s failure to manage the ongoing energy and electricity crisis has resulted in planned—but highly disruptive—blackouts that have interfered with daily life and business operations. This has fueled a growing public perception of governmental inefficiency.

 

Third, the government’s excessive reliance on the outcome of foreign negotiations—particularly the multi-stage talks with the United States—has led to disappointment. Despite initial optimism, these talks have yielded few tangible benefits for ordinary citizens, weakening public faith in the administration’s promises.

Iranian negotiating team in U.S. talks. Social media/ WANA News Agency

Analysts argue that the combination of these factors has not only eroded the government’s social capital but also fostered a sense of skepticism about its executive competence. Nonetheless, some more optimistic observers believe that public trust can still be partially restored—if the administration pivots toward meaningful economic reforms and focuses more on domestic issues rather than external dependencies.

 

While this poll offers only a snapshot of a specific moment in time, it carries a stark warning for the Iranian government: the gap between political promises and everyday realities can threaten political legitimacy in a surprisingly short time.