Analysis Summary:

The article's central claim about China and Russia distancing themselves from Iran during a crisis has mixed accuracy. While some sources suggest a degree of separation, others highlight ongoing cooperation. The "axis of authoritarian nations" framing introduces a moderate bias, potentially oversimplifying complex geopolitical relationships.

Detailed Analysis:

• Claim:** "Some U.S. officials talked about an 'axis' of authoritarian nations..."
  • Verification Source #1, #2, #3, #4, and #5: *Fail to cover* the specific claim of U.S. officials using the term "axis." This is a common geopolitical term, and it's plausible U.S. officials have used it, but the provided sources don't confirm it.
• Claim:** "...the American and Israeli war with Iran has exposed the limits of that idea."
  • Verification Source #3: Supports the idea of Russia maintaining a distance, stating, "For many years, Russia has striven to keep its distance..."
  • Verification Source #1: Shows cooperation between China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia, which contradicts the idea of a complete distancing.
  • Verification Source #2: Mentions China and Russia conducting joint military exercises, suggesting continued cooperation.
  • Verification Source #5: States China is likely to keep its distance from the brewing Mideast conflict.
  • Verification Source #4: *Fails to cover* the actions of China and Russia.

Supporting Evidence/Contradictions:

• Verification Source #3: "Even small increases in Russian support for Iran and its allies make Moscow a..." This suggests Russia is involved to some extent, but also implies a limit to that involvement.
• Verification Source #1: "Cooperation Between China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia: Current..." This directly contradicts the idea of a complete distancing.
• Verification Source #2: "In September 2024, China and Russia conducted the second iteration of ... their Russian counterparts to help maintain security and stability in." This shows military cooperation between China and Russia.
• Verification Source #5: "China likely to keep distance from brewing Mideast conflict..." This supports the claim that China is distancing itself.