[Tallguy]

How does one go about taking a public opinion poll in an Islamic theocracy like Iran? Can we take the results seriously? If we can, can we also reasonably expect that “favorable views of the US” are UNDERSTATED?

[SolidWood]

Spot on. Not only is the entire concept of a "poll inside Iran" ridiculous, but note also the blatant bias in the headline!

It's being written as if it is expected that Obama would result in a more favorable image of the US among Iranians.

That's upside down.

The whole point of expressed Iranian pro-Americanism after 1979 has been because America was standing in opposition to the islamic regime and all it purposes to stand for. They liked us, because we were the nemesis of the regime.

Now Obama comes along and hugs the islamic regime (recognizing for the first time the "islamic republic", praising them, offering peace talks), and they expect a more favorable view?

Twisted.