Mohd Amirul Asraf bin Othman is a PhD candidate and research scholar at the Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies (CAIS) at ANU, where his research examines Iran's rise as a regional power in the Middle East. He holds a Master's degree in International Relations and Diplomacy, with his dissertation examining the Malaysia-North Korea relationship in the context of Kim Jong Nam's death on Malaysian soil. His professional background includes a role at one of Iran's leading state-linked petrochemical companies, later sanctioned by the US and Israel over nuclear proliferation allegations that Tehran has consistently denied, an experience that gives his current research a rare vantage point most scholars in the field never get close to. He has also completed a book chapter on Iran-Armenia Post-Cold War relations, due for publication soon. Because of this background, Amirul has occasionally been invited to share his views on Middle East affairs with Malaysian audiences, including appearances on BFM Radio Malaysia and Astro Awani. Alongside his study, Amirul teaches Malay language to Australian diplomats and defence personnel, through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Defence Force School of Languages (DFSL).