Both the Jerusalem Post and The Telegraph are reporting the results of a confidential survey by the state-run Iranian Culture and Islamic Guidance Ministry of nearly 16,000 Iranians polled anonymously that were leaked to Iran International, a London-based opposition news outlet. This was the 4th such survey the Islamic Republic of Iran has conducted, and the results when compared to the most recent previous survey of 2015 are quite striking:
73 percent of Iranians advocate for the separation of religion from state, indicating an unprecedented demand for a secular government.
Contrary to the 22.5 percent advocating for a religious government, a sharp increase in secularism is evident, with demands for secular governance rising from less than 31 percent in 2015.
The significant change seems to have taken place since large anti-regime protests in 2022 and 2023 when the "Woman, Life, Freedom" movement began, representing the most serious challenge to the Islamic Republic in 45 years.
…
Although the population's departure from the government's ideological values is shocking enough for the government, most of those taking part in the study have reiterated that Iranians are likely to be even less religious in the coming years.
...
In one of the most important findings of the study, 85 percent said Iranians have become less religious compared to 5 years ago. Only 7 percent said they have become more religious and around 8 percent said they can see no difference in this regard between now and 5 years ago.
Looking ahead, over 81 percent anticipate a continued decline in religious observance over the next five years, reflecting shifting societal attitudes towards religious practices. Only 9 percent said they are likely to be more religious and around 10 percent said there will be no difference.
Regarding the compulsory hijab, attitudes have shifted markedly since 2015, with a substantial portion expressing tolerance towards women who defy the mandate. Only a minority now support strict enforcement of hijab rules. Around 38 percent said they do not mind if women defy the compulsory hijab, 46 percent said they oppose women who do not wear hijab but will not object to them.
The change since 2015 is significant. Some 10.6 percent had said in 2015 that they do not mind violation of compulsory hijab. Meanwhile, 34.4 percent said compulsory hijab rules should not be imposed on women who do not like it. The figure was 15.7 in 2015. On the other hand, 7.9 percent said they absolutely agree that women must be made to wear hijab whether they like it or not. The figure was 18.6 percent in 2015.
...
The figures show why the Iranian government was reluctant to publish the results of the study although several journalists during the past week called on the government to make it available to the public. The reluctance of the Iranian government underscores its discomfort with the findings, which contradict its narrative of promoting piety. Instead, the data suggests a decline in adherence to religious values under clerical rule.
No wonder the mullahs in Tehran are terrified about the future of their Islamic Republic!