Dr. Ali Awadh Asseri served as ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Pakistan (2001-09) and Lebanon (2009-16) and is a board member at Rasanah — the International Institute for Iranian Studies in Riyadh. He holds a Ph.D. in economics from Beirut Arab University and has authored a book titled “Combating Terrorism: Saudi Arabia’s Role in the War on Terror” (Oxford University Press, 2009).