Report: What Citizens Across the Global South Really Think About the Iran–Israel–U.S. Conflict
Deep economic anxiety, stark regional divides on blame and sympathy, declining trust in Western powers and media, and an overwhelming demand for peace.
The Middle East conflict has consumed headlines, but one voice has been largely missing from the conversation: that of the billions of people across the Global South who are bearing the economic and social fallout.
In March 2026, GeoPoll surveyed citizens across Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa, to understand how they perceive, experience, and respond to the escalating Iran–Israel–U.S. conflict. The findings are striking and carry direct implications for governments, international organisations, and media institutions.
100% are aware of the conflict. Very high.
70% believe the use of nuclear weapons is likely
72% believe this might be the start of World War 3
38% blame Israel for the war; 29% the US;18% Iran
43% view the U.S. less favourably due to the war
25% say Western media is misleading
70% say fuel prices significantly affected
69% are "very concerned" about the cost of living
54% want their govt to call for peace
The free 37-page report has detailed country-level breakdowns, cross-tabulations, open-ended citizen responses in three languages, comparisons with on-the-ground realities, and actionable policy recommendations, and is essential reading whether you are a policymaker, diplomat, development practitioner, journalist, researcher, or simply curious about how this conflict is reverberating far beyond the Middle East
Fill in this form to download the full report (free):