State Dep't says official censored 2013 briefing footage

WASHINGTON (AP) - The State Department says an official deliberately cut several minutes of tape from a 2013 news briefing dealing with U.S.-Iranian nuclear questions.

In the Dec. 2, 2013, briefing, a reporter asked about the department's denial months earlier of secret talks between Washington and Tehran. Those discussions had been periodically occurring.

Then-spokeswoman Jen Psaki responded: "There are times where diplomacy needs privacy."

But the exchange wasn't on video the department posted on its website and YouTube. It was in the official transcript and backup video for broadcasters. Fox News discovered the discrepancy last month.

Current State Department spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday a public affairs official requested the removal the same day as that briefing. He said he didn't know who specifically asked or why.

Officials previously suggested a "glitch" occurred.