(MENAFN- QNA) US President Barack Obama today appointed Antony J. Blinken as the deputy secretary of state, the White House announced Friday, placing one of his closest advisers in the State Department’s No. 2 post.
Mr. Blinken, 52, currently the deputy national security adviser, has been one of the architects of Mr. Obama’s strategy against the Islamic State militant group, and has led the process of reintegrating Iraq in the region after Nuri Kamal al-Maliki stepped down as prime minister.
He has been an influential behind-the-scenes player in the negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program, and has run what is considered one of the most contentious policy operations in Washington: the development of policy by the "deputies committee" of top national security aides, the New York Times reported.
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