S President elect Joe Biden will tap William Burns, Ah, former career diplomat, to lead the CIA.

His transition team set on Monday over a 33 year career as a U.

S diplomat and eventually deputy secretary of state's.

Burns, who speaks Russian, Arabic and French, served in the Middle East and Russia as ambassador from 2005 to 2008 to the United States old Cold War adversary.

He led secret talks that paved the way to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal under former Democratic President Barack Obama.

That background will be critical at this spy agency in a new Biden administration, which has vowed to punish Russia if it is found responsible for a massive cyber breach affecting US government agencies.

The Kremlin has denied involvement.

We want to do everything we can to help.

Burns, who is currently president of international affairs think tank, will also help the Biden administration decide where it can cooperate with China and where to confront the rising Asian power.

Biden, who promised to pick a team of tested officials ready on day one, is unlikely to have a full complement of permanent national security officials when he takes office as his transition was delayed by Trump contesting the election, Burns must be confirmed by the U.

S Senate, where Biden's fellow Democrats narrowly hold the majority.