Deputy Secretary of State Burns to retire in the fall, White House says
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Obama administration officials say the second-highest ranking American diplomat intends to retire this fall.
The officials said Friday that Deputy Secretary of State William Burns plans to step down in October, following a 32-year career in the foreign service that included stints as U.S. ambassador to Russia and Jordan, top Middle East hand and leader of a team that held secret talks with Iran.
Burns had several times delayed retirement at the request of President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry.
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Burns is just the second career diplomat to hold the No. 2 job at the State Department. In 2012, he was tasked with leading a small team of U.S. officials in covert discussions with Iran that resulted in the current negotiations over that country's nuclear program.