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Turkey is the favorite country among Arab nations and is touted as the state that is contributing to peace and stability in the region the most, a survey has shown.
The poll published by the Arab American Institute on Wednesday also inquired about the perception of Iran in the region and found that Iran's current and future role in the region was overwhelmingly seen as negative among the Arab public, while Turkey's rating was the highest. The institute also said the key finding of the poll is that a substantial majority of Arabs believe that Iran plays a negative role in both Iraq and the Arab Gulf region. The survey was conducted during the first three weeks of June by Zogby International and over 4,000 Arabs were surveyed in six Arab nations.
According to the survey, Turkey received the highest favorable rating in most Arab countries, with the US receiving the lowest rating in every country, except Saudi Arabia where Iran received the lowest. Turkey was viewed favorably in Morocco (80 percent), Egypt (64 percent), Jordan (45 percent), Saudi Arabia (98 percent) and the United Arab Emirates (62 percent), while Iran's rating was low in every Arab country except Lebanon. Turkey's rating in Lebanon was 93 percent positive, while Iran's was 63 percent positive.
Surprisingly, Lebanon's Shiites, who are known to favor Iran, favored Turkey by 93 percent, while Iran only received 83 percent. About 96 percent of Sunnis and 90 percent of Christians in Lebanon consider Turkey a favorable country.
When asked if they agree that Turkey's foreign policy contributes to peace and stability in the Arab world, 82 percent of respondents from Morocco, 65 percent from Egypt, 85 percent from Lebanon, 58 percent from Jordan, 76 percent from Saudi Arabia and 61 percent from the UAE said yes.
Only in Lebanon, did 57 percent of respondents say Iran contributes to peace and stability in the Arab world, while the US received its highest rating of 24 percent in Saudi Arabia. The poll found in every country except Lebanon, that significant majorities say Iran does not contribute to peace and stability in the Arab world. Overall, Turkey and Saudi Arabia are viewed as making the most positive contributions to peace and stability.
Among Lebanon's religious communities, while Iran is believed to be contributing to peace and stability in the Arab world by 79 percent, this number was 90 percent when it came to Turkey. While Lebanon's Sunni and Christian population rated Turkey as the chief contributor to peace and stability in the region with 87 and 79 percent, respectively, only 42 and 46 percent of them thought the same of Iran, respectively.
The survey said the majority of participants in five out of six countries agree that the Middle East would be more secure if it were a nuclear free zone. In Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Morocco there is little support for Iran becoming a nuclear power.
Respondents overwhelmingly pointed to Egypt and then Turkey when asked which country they would prefer if they had to choose one nation, other than Israel, to be a nuclear power in the Middle East. Only Lebanon, with 33 percent, believed that Iran should have nuclear weapons, other than Israel, while 26 percent of Lebanese participants said Turkey should have nuclear weapons.