64% of Americans want US to take military action if Iran violates terms of nuclear deal

Senator Dick Durbin (D-Illinois)(right) holds a copy of the letter Senate Republicans sent to Iran as he and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) speak after a vote failed to advance debate on a nuclear agreement with Iran on Capitol Hill in Washington on Sept. 10, 2015.Reuters

An overwhelming majority of Americans want the United States to take military action against Iran if the latter violates the terms of the nuclear deal pending in Congress.

While President Barack Obama has succeeded in gathering enough votes to prevent the US Congress from overriding his veto power in case of a congressional rejection of the Iran deal, 90 percent of Americans said Iran will likely violate the agreement, according to a new CNN/ORC poll.

In the poll, 64 percent of Americans said the US should take military action against Iran if it violates terms of the Iran deal aimed at preventing the Islamic country from acquiring nuclear weapons. Only 34 percent oppose military action—a far cry from the 61 percent who rejected a military response in an earlier poll taken last month.

Americans are just about even when it comes to US Congress' action on the deal: 49 percent said lawmakers should reject it while 47 percent said it should be approved.

If the agreement is approved, 90 percent said they believe Iran will violate the deal; 37 percent said it is very likely, 23 percent said very likely and 30 percent said somewhat likely.

Of these, 83 percent of Republicans and 58 percent of independents said Iran will likely violate the agreement compared to 44 percent of Democrats, CNN reported.

Of the 67 percent who say the US should take military action, 57 percent of Democrats, 64 percent of independents and 72 percent of Republicans agree.

CNN said Americans view North Korea, Russia and Iran as all threats to the US.

Nearly half, 49 percent, said Iran is a "very serious" threat to the US, an increase of 10 points since April. A total of 43 percent of Democrats and 68 percent of Republicans think Iran is a serious threat to the country.

The same poll showed Obama getting 52 percent disapproval rating and 45 approval rating, the second straight poll showing that majority of Americans disapprove of the actions he has taken.