美国政府官员和西方国家外交人员说，美国等西方国家正考虑对伊朗发起针对性制裁、而非打击面较大的广泛制裁，以向伊朗政府施压、打破核谈僵局。

The US government is readying sanctions against parts of the Iranian government.

It includes those involved in the deadly crackdown on Iranian protesters, marking a shift to a more aggressive US stance against the Islamic republic.

The Washington Post reported that sanctions are still being decided but they need to be carefully targeted to avoid alienating the Iranian public. High on the list of targets is the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

US officials said the increasingly central role of the Corps in both the economy and protests makes it a target of resentment for the Iranian public, and for tough US sanctions.

The officials also said the aim of any sanctions will be to force the Tehran government to the negotiating table, rather than to punish it.