The guiding principles in dealing with Iran are: first, forge a phalanx of unity at international level; and second, make sure your policy discriminates between the regime and Iranian citizens – whose tolerance of the Islamic Republic has reached breaking point after last summer’s imposed election result and its bloody aftermath. Do the new sanctions pass either test?

What is needed are measures such as successful US-initiated sanctions on financial transactions and individuals that target all the players in the regime, and command not just the support of the US and its allies but Russia and China and theirs. And Iranians.