CNN Poll: Majority Want Military Action If Iran Violates Deal

Even as President Barack Obama savors a huge victory on sealing the deal with his Iran nuclear pact, there are growing indications that the American public just isn’t buying it.

According to a new CNN/ORC poll, 59 percent of Americans disapprove of the way Obama is handling the U.S. relationship with Iran. Nearly half would have preferred Congress reject the deal.

And hardly anybody trusts Iran to do the right thing. A growing number consider the country a serious threat to the U.S.

Most Americans think Iran will ultimately violate the terms of the agreement:

• 37 percent call that extremely likely
• 23 percent saying very likely
• Just 10 percent think it's not at all likely that Iran would break the agreement.

Among Republicans, those figures are even more stark. Some 83 percent say it’s likely the deal will be violated. Independents are only a bit less skeptical – 58 percent say it’s likely. Only among Democrats, with 44 percent saying violation is likely, does Obama have a majority of support.

If Iran did violate the deal, 64 percent of all adults say the United States should respond with military action, including majorities across party lines (57 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of independents and 72 percent of Republicans). About a third, 34 percent, say the United States should not take military action if the deal is broken.

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