The West and Iran must stare Putin down and prepare to implement the pact forthwith even without Russia. This is a tailor-made chance for the world to demonstrate graphically just how utterly irrelevant Putin’s toxic ambitions have rendered Russia — by removing him and his country from the community of civilized nations.

The US must also make it attractive for Iran to sign this agreement. Indeed, there are some indications Tehran lawmakers already recognize — playing to their own self-interests — that it may be necessary to throw their longtime ally, Russia, overboard to get the desperately needed sanctions relief that would accompany a signed nuclear agreement. These actions should most definitely be encouraged by the US and the other signatories to the agreement — the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China and the European Union.