Full Breakdown
British Muslims Favor Iran, Russia, and China Over the U.S.
3/19/2026, 9:15:57 PM
Poll Findings on Geopolitical Views
A recent survey conducted by JL Partners for the Policy Exchange Think Tank reveals that Muslims in Britain hold more favorable views of Communist China, Vladimir Putin’s Russia, and the theocratic regime in Iran compared to the United States. The poll, which included a nationally representative sample of 2,223 adults in Britain and 1,031 Muslims living in the UK, was conducted between March 2nd and 13th, coinciding with the onset of a joint American-Israeli military operation against Iran.
The survey indicates that 39% of Muslims in Britain view the Iranian regime positively, a stark contrast to the 8% of the general British public who share this sentiment. Similarly, 29% of Muslim respondents have a favorable opinion of Russia, compared to just 8% of the overall population. The findings also show that 38% of Muslims in Britain regard Communist China positively, while only 15% of the general public does. The net favorability ratings for British Muslims towards Russia and China are positive, whereas they are strongly negative for the general population.
Divergent Views on the U.S. and Israel
The survey highlights a significant skepticism among British Muslims regarding Western geopolitics. Muslims in Britain expressed a net negative view of both Israel and the United States, with ratings of -52 and -41, respectively. In contrast, the British public overall has a less negative view, with ratings of -22 for Israel and -16 for the United States. Furthermore, 45% of Muslims polled do not believe that Iran poses a serious threat, compared to only 14% of the general public.
When asked about the U.S.-Israeli military strikes against Iran, 50% of Muslim respondents deemed them “definitely wrong,” while only 17% of the broader public agreed. Additionally, 40% of Muslims believe that securing Iran’s oil reserves is the primary aim of the conflict, in contrast to just 15% of the general population.
Sunni-Shia Dynamics and Broader Implications
Interestingly, the survey results show that despite 84% of Muslims in Britain identifying as Sunni, they still hold a generally supportive view towards Iran, which is predominantly Shia. This perspective is particularly notable given that the Sunni theocracy in Saudi Arabia is viewed less favorably than Iran by UK Muslims. Policy Exchange suggests that geopolitical considerations may be overshadowing denominational affiliations, particularly due to British Muslim disillusionment with Saudi Arabia's previous normalization efforts with Israel.
The think tank warns that the ongoing conflict with Iran could exacerbate ethnic and religious tensions in Britain. Two in five members of the UK public believe that the situation has already negatively impacted ethnic and religious relations within the country.
Verbatim Quotes
- “ Remarking on the overall results of the poll, the think tank concluded: “The degree to which the ongoing Iran conflict will spill over into ethno-religious tensions in modern Britain remains to be seen, but two in five members of the UK public believe that it has already made ethnic and religious relations worse in the UK.” — Policy Exchange
- “In both cases, the net favourability rating (‘favourable’ minus ‘unfavourable’) of British Muslims to Russia and China is positive, whereas for the general population it is strongly negative.” — Policy Exchange
- “Four in ten Muslims respondents also said that they thought securing Iran’s oil reserves was the primary aim of the conflict, compared to just 15 per cent of the public.” — Policy Exchange
