I still entertain the idea that Russia is deliberately sabotaging the Iranian nuke effort while collecting tons of money. I assume that there was agreement on what Russia would get if the USA 'unilaterally' deposed the hardline regime in Iran. Obviously, there would have to be an agreement with Russia on what Russia would get if we or Israel were to just deal with Iran on our own.
Moscow is implicitly threatened if it were to go along with regime change openly. The Russians could not afford to lose Moscow to a nuke the way the Americans could lose Washington DC. The former is filled with the richest and brightest flower of Russian society many of the best of whom live downtown. The latter is mostly poor people living downtown with the exception of Georgetown. The same is true with France. Russia and France (demographic-geographic wise) are not built to withstand a single nuke attack. The USA and Germany are brilliantly structured to withstand at least a single or limited nuke attack.
Also: if Russia were to openly side with the USA and rest of the world...the Iranian hardliners might actually give in as a way of surviving. Do we want that? Do we want them to cooperate or die fighting us?
Think about it: if the Iranian regime fights and Syria helps...there will be about 200,000 more dead young Hizbollah and other terrorist males in a very short time. These useless and dangerous young men will survive if deals are made. Do we want that? Can the Middle East prosper under free market capitalism with these jokers as a super mafia presence...demanding "protection money" from every new business and making the women and visiting American businessmen uncomfortable. It may be better that the most dangerous young men already perished in a war fighting their "enemy" if to Hell was really where their hearts were headed anyway.
So, on the surface, I would expect Russia to give the Iranian regime the will and hope to go down fighting, which is what the Flypaper Strategy is all about.
Interesting analysis. It certainly doesn't make sense that Russia, already threatened by Moslem jihadists, would want to see neighboring Iran with nuclear arms.