Nuclear Nightmares: The American Fear of Iranian Nuclear Attacks and Foreign Policy

In an age of escalating tensions in the Middle East, the American public has to watch with a wary eye for a conflict in which the United States has to get involved overseas. In this paper, I examine the extent to which religiosity influences Americans’ fear of Iranian nuclear attacks. Using Chapman University’s Survey of American Fears, a nationally representative survey asking Americans about what scares them the most, I find an increase in the fear of Iranian nuclear strikes as a respondent’s religiosity increases. In religious circles, fears can be greatly manipulated by the words of a single authority, which could increase the fear of nuclear strikes. Following the influence of religiosity, I also will connect religious concerns over Iranian nuclear strikes with who respondents voted for in the 2020 presidential election. Looking into other variables, I also consider the influence of a respondent’s consumption of nightly national news sources, finding a relationship between frequent viewership and fear. Finally, I also found a link between lower levels of education and greater fears of Iran’s capabilities. Public opinion has the power to define American foreign policy, and with so much fear surrounding Iranian nuclear capabilities, the future of relations in the Middle East will be influenced by the striking fear of Iran.