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This is a free preview of the episode "Iran Pt. 4: Towards a Multipolar World / Matteo Capasso." You can listen to the full episode by subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/upstreampodcast
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In Part 4 of our ongoing series on Iran, Matteo Capasso joins us to discuss the global implications of the war on Iran. Matteo Capasso is professor of Middle East Studies based in China and the editor of Middle East Critique, a peer-reviewed Middle Eastern studies journal published by Taylor & Francis.
Our conversation begins with a brief overview of the so-called ceasefire agreement, taking a zoomed out look instead of focusing on the details. Matteo then explains why this war is not just existential for the Islamic Republic of Iran, but for the United States and Israel as well, examining the war's implications on both the internal contradictions of the United States as well as the financial architecture of the unipolar world system. We bring back the lens and explore not just the regional implications of the war in terms of the Gulf states but also with Europe and, significantly, with China, which, when you zoom out far enough, plays a significant role in the United States' decision to go to war with Iran, as outlined in the United States' National Security Strategy document published in 2025. 
We then bring in Israel and the Great Israel project, tying it into our analysis and explaining how Palestine is emblematic of the contradictions that have led the United States and its imperial project into deep crisis. Matteo draws a line from the invasion of Iraq in 2003 to the overthrow of Libra, Syria, and the assaults on Lebanon and of course Palestine and explains how all of these assaults are part of a larger project and military strategy by the United States and its proxy force in the region—Israel. 
In closing, we take a closer look at China, comparing and contrasting China and Iran's models of sovereign development and exploring their current relationship with a dialectical and historical materialist analysis. We conclude with a look at the competing visions of a world order that can be contrasted between the United States and Israel—a vision based on genocide and the accumulation of waste—and the diverse visions embodied by states such as Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, or China, which present a path forward that looks much different from the death and destruction offered by the United States.
Further resources:
Middle East Critique
National Security Strategy of the United States of America, Nov 2025
Related episodes:
Listen to our ongoing series on Iran
Palestine Pt. 13: Al-Aqsa Flood and the Resistance Axis w/ Matteo Capasso
Listen to our ongoing series on China
Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine
Listen to our ongoing series on Lebanon
Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba
Listen to our ongoing series on Venezuela
Listen to our ongoing series on the Alliance of Sahel States
Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support
For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this episode, part 4 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Renzo Llorente for a conversation exploring the counterrevolution to Cuba's 1959 revolution and the various forms it took. Renzo Llorente is associate professor of philosophy at Saint Louis University-Madrid and the author of the books, The Political Theory of Che Guevara and The Political Thought of Fidel Castro. 
The conversation begins with a look at the current assault on Cuba from the Trump administration and situates it within the context of a long counterrevolution which has been by and large a bipartisan project since the revolution's inception. We then discuss why counterrevolution occurs in socialist societies and the toll that it takes on the revolutionary ambitions of societies attempting to lay the foundations for socialism. We look at examples of sabotage—from assassination attempts to economic disruption, examples of outright military excursions like the Bay of Pigs invasion, and more. 
We then look at how Cuba has been forced to respond to these perpetual attempts at counterrevolution often fueled and resourced by the imperialist powers, and why the degree of repression seen in Cuba can be understood as a direct and dialectical response to the United States' never ending quest to return Cuba to what it was before 1959. Specifically, we examine the concept of political prisoners and explore ways in which we can view political prisoners in Cuba as counterrevolutionaries. We examine multi-party versus one-party systems and discuss their potential for representation and democracy. And we explore the concept of a free press and how this is weaponized by the imperialist powers in not just Cuba, but in all states where imperialism is seeking a foothold. Finally, we discuss how counterrevolution has served to strengthen Cuba's resolve and determination to continue their long-fought battle for sovereignty. 
Further resources:
The Political Thought of Fidel Castro, by Renzo Llorente
The Political Theory of Che Guevara, by Renzo Llorente
Related episodes:
Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba
Listen to our ongoing series on Iran
Listen to our ongoing series on China
Listen to our ongoing series on the Alliance of Sahel States
Intermission music: "Celos eternos" by Roberto Carcasses
Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast
For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this episode, part 17 of our ongoing series on Palestine, we're joined again by Jason Hickel for a conversation on Palestine and the role that Palestinian liberation plays in the global fight against imperialism and capitalism. The conversation opens with a discussion on why Palestinian liberation is a threat to capitalism globally—we unpack the role that Palestine plays geopolitically in West Asia and the role that West Asia plays in global capital accumulation. We go on to talk about Israel's role as the US's proxy force and attack dog, not just in West Asia, but throughout the globe as well, from Argentina to Guatemala.  
We then talk about Trump's so-called "Board of Peace," and its vision for Gaza before discussing what's taking place in the West Bank and the official death of the Two State Solution. We then broaden the conversation out and situate what's happening in Palestine into the context of the United States' quest for geopolitical hegemony, what this means in terms of the Second Cold War with China, and the implications for Palestine, West Asia, and the world at large. 
Jason Hickel is a professor at the The Institute for Environmental Science and Technology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, the author of the books The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and its Solutions and Less is More: How Degrowth will Save the World.
Further resources:
Jason Hickel's Reserach
Global Inequality Project
The Divide: A Brief Guide to Global Inequality and Its Solutions, Jason Hickel
Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save The World, Jason  Hickel
People's Embargo for Palestine
Energy Embargo for Palestine
Palestinian Youth Movement
Related episodes:
Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine
Better Lives for All w/ Jason Hickel 
How the North Plunders the South w/ Jason Hickel
The Divide – Global Inequality from Conquest to Free Markets with Jason Hickel
International Development and Post-capitalism with Jason Hickel
 How Degrowth Will Save the World with Jason Hickel
The Green Transition Pt. 1 – The Problem with Green Capitalism
Listen to our ongoing series on Iran
Listen to our ongoing series on Venezuela
Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba
Listen to our ongoing series on China
Listen to our ongoing series on Mexico
Intermission music: "Courage, My Friends!" by Andrew Glencross
Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast
For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

In this episode, part 3 of our ongoing series on Cuba, we're joined by Helen Yaffe for a conversation exploring Cuba's transition to socialism after the revolution through Che Guevara's contributions. Helen Yaffe is a professor of Latin American political economy at the University of Glasgow. She is the author of We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World, and Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution. She is also the cohost of the Cuba Analysis podcast and the documentary  Cuba's Life Task: combatting climate change.
The episode begins with a brief introduction to Che Guevara—providing an overview of Che's life and biography. We then discuss what the Cuban revolutionaries inherited in terms of Cuba's semi-colonial economic and political state—unemployment, poverty, inequality, underdevelopment, and dependency. We talk about how socialism became the guiding light of revolutionary Cuba and how the revolutionary government became more radical in response to the United States' attempts to sabotage it.
We discuss Che Guevara's role in developing the productive capacities of Cuba and his many roles ranging from President of the National Bank of Cuba to Head of Ministry of Industries (MININD). We also discuss his unique approach to laying the foundations of socialism in Cuba which put just as much emphasis on developing consciousness as developing materially. We contrast this with the Soviet system, which Che was critical of. 
We then explore the role of intellectual, political, and training education in the emerging socialist state of Cuba, which had experienced a mass emigration of managers and business owners after the revolution and had a working class which was accustomed to viewing labor as an exploitative endeavor and not as means of liberation. Finally, we explore Che's legacy and tie it into present day Cuba, which is still under siege by the imperialists. 
Further resources:
We Are Cuba! How a Revolutionary People Have Survived in a Post-Soviet World
Che Guevara: The Economics of Revolution
Let Cuba Liva: Donate
Support the Nuestra América Flotilla to Cuba
Related episodes:
Listen to our ongoing series on Cuba
Listen to our ongoing series on China
Intermission music: "Señor Martí" by El Guajiro
Upstream is entirely listener funded. No ads, no promotions, no grants—just Patreon subscriptions and listener donations. We couldn't keep this project going without your support. Subscribe to our Patreon for bi-weekly bonus episodes, access to our entire back catalog of Patreon episodes, and for Upstream stickers and bumper stickers at certain subscription tiers. Through your support you'll be helping us keep Upstream sustainable and helping to keep this whole project going—socialist political education podcasts are not easy to fund so thank you in advance for the crucial support. patreon.com/upstreampodcast
For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

This is an unlocked version of the episode "Lebanon Pt. 1: Resisting Occupation w/ Hussein Assaf." 
In Part 1 of our new series on Lebanon, Hussein Assaf joins us to discuss the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and the United States. Hussein Assaf is a journalist with Vocal Politics based out of Beirut. 
Our conversation begins with an update on the ongoing assault on Lebanon by Israel and backed by the United States. We then talk about the political forces at play in Lebanon, giving a brief history of the political makeup of the country to help put the current assault in context. We talk about Hezbollah and the relationship it has with the Islamic Republic, unpacking the common talking point in the West that Hezbollah is an Iranian "regime" proxy and instead providing a more appropriate analysis (and in doing so, giving insight into how the United States treats its proxies). We close on a discussion on the information and psychological warfare that is a part of the US and Israel's assault on West Asia and on its own populations at home. 
Just a quick note: this episode is a bit of a non-traditional Part 1 to a series as it goes into a bit more depth into current events and is not as focused on a providing a more complete historical context for Lebanon like our other series do. If you want to understand what's happening at the moment, this is a great starting point. In the future we will provide even more historical context and take deeper dives into Lebanon's history and politics.  
Further resources:
Vocal Politics
Hussein Assaf
Related episodes:
Listen to our ongoing series on Lebanon
Listen to our ongoing series on Iran
Listen to our ongoing series on Palestine
Listen to our ongoing series on China
Upstream is a labor of love—we couldn't keep this project going without the generosity of our listeners and fans. Subscribe to our Patreon at patreon.com/upstreampodcast or please consider chipping in a one-time or recurring donation at www.upstreampodcast.org/support
For more from Upstream, visit www.upstreampodcast.org and follow us on Instagram and Bluesky. You can also subscribe to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.