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"Tehran's growing crackdown on protesters has officials worried about hurting ordinary Iranians -- and about public perception...But as the Iranian government's crackdown has taken a growing toll on the opposition movement, officials are increasingly concerned that broad sanctions harming ordinary citizens would appear harsh to the outside world and would risk alienating parts of the population with which the West seeks to establish common cause."

"Cutting off gasoline shipments has strong support in Congress and among advocates for aggressive action, but the administration and U.S. allies are likely to resist that tactic because it would have such far-reaching effects on Iran."

"Some foreign diplomats and private analysts have warned that Iran's crackdown on protesters would make it much more difficult for the U.S. and other world powers to negotiate a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program because any agreement reached now would lack acceptance in the U.S. and abroad."

"But the senior official said the administration had come to the conclusion that Iran had already turned its back on a deal.

'It's off the table,' the official said."

"Ray Takeyh, who was an administration advisor on Iran earlier this year, agreed that it was now desirable to make the sanctions as 'discriminating and selective as possible.' " 

"But Takeyh said that doing so would be difficult becaus... >>>