rule with a rod of iron
idiom
British
: to rule a country, area, group, etc., in a very strict and often cruel way
The dictator ruled (the country) with a rod of iron.
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“Rule with a rod of iron.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rule%20with%20a%20rod%20of%20iron. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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