The Authoritarian Quartet, China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran: A New World Order in the Making?
by Majid Rafizadeh • September 13, 2025 at 5:00 am
This was not simply an anniversary parade; it was a declaration of intent by a coalition of states that reject the Western-led order and seek to replace it with an authoritarian alternative.
When seen together, the gathering represented the closest thing yet to the formation of a new bloc: one that might aim to construct an entirely new world order defined not by democracy, but by coercion, censorship, and force.
Dismissing these events as mere theater would be irresponsible. Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine is a direct challenge to the stability of Europe –a challenge that that Iran and North Korea materially support. China, meanwhile, has been expanding its military footprint throughout the South China Sea and accelerating preparations for the possibility of a future confrontation with Taiwan. Together, these powers are testing the limits of Western resolve. They are also watching closely to see whether the United States, Europe, and their allies respond with hesitation or with strength.
They appear fully aware of what they are doing and why they are doing it: to reshape the world to where their authority dictates the rules, freedom is suppressed, and sickly, hesitating democracies are dismantled as they deserve to be.
The world has entered the hour of choice: Will Western nations deter this authoritarian quartet with unity and strength, or will they fall back on illusions that "diplomacy" – talking long enough -- can contain belligerent ambitions?
The spectacle that unfolded in Beijing recently was unlike any other military parade the world has seen. China, to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, staged its most elaborate display of military might, showcasing hypersonic missiles, advanced drones, cyberwarfare divisions, and an arsenal that left no doubt about its ambitions to be seen as a global military superpower.
What truly defined this moment, however, was not the weaponry rolling across Tiananmen Square, but the rare gathering of leaders who stood shoulder to shoulder. Xi Jinping hosted Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un, with Iran regime's President Masoud Pezeshkian also in attendance -- all creating a tableau that symbolized far more than a military tradition. This was not simply an anniversary parade; it was a declaration of intent by a coalition of states that reject the Western-led order and seek to replace it with an authoritarian alternative.
