June 2, 2016

State Dept. Official Took ‘Deliberate Steps’ To Delete Video From Iran Press Briefing

An official within the State Department ordered the editing of a damning portion of video from a Dec. 2013 daily press briefing discussing negotiations between the Obama administration and Iran, an agency spokesman acknowledged on Wednesday.

State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters that a public affairs official placed a phone call on Dec. 3, 2013, the same day as the daily press briefing, ordering the removal of video showing Fox News reporter James Rosen asking then-State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki whether anyone inside the Obama administration has misled the American public about the Iran negotiations.

At a press briefing in 2012, Rosen had asked Psaki’s predecessor, Victoria Nuland, whether nuclear negotiations with Iran were being held. Nuland said they were not. Psaki provided a cryptic answer in response to Rosen’s question.

“James, I think there are times where diplomacy needs privacy in order to progress. This is a good example of that,” she said.

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