(Washington Post) Glenn Kessler - The Obama administration is readying sanctions against discrete elements of the Iranian government, including those involved in the deadly crackdown on Iranian protesters, marking a shift to a more aggressive U.S. posture toward the Islamic republic, U.S. officials said. The administration wants to carefully target sanctions to avoid alienating the Iranian public - while keeping the door ajar to a resolution of the struggle over Iran's nuclear program. "We have never been attracted to the idea of trying to get the whole world to cordon off their economy," said a senior U.S. official. As a result, top officials show little apparent interest in legislation racing through Congress that would punish companies that sell refined petroleum to Iran. "Sanctions would not be an alternative to engagement," another senior official said. "Our intention is to keep the door open."
2009-12-30 08:35:35Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive