The United States has had constructive talks about the Iran nuclear deal with Britain, France and Germany but is making contingency plans should they fail, the lead US negotiator said on Wednesday.
US President Donald Trump gave an ultimatum on Jan. 12 to the European powers, saying they must agree to “fix the terrible flaws” of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal or he would refuse to extend the American sanctions relief on Iran that it calls for. US sanctions will resume unless Trump again waives them on May 12.
“We have had constructive talks with the Europeans towards a supplemental agreement but I can’t predict whether we will reach an agreement with them or not,” Brian Hook, the State Department policy planning director, told reporters in a conference call.
“We are engaged in contingency planning because it would not be responsible not to,” said Hook, the lead US negotiator in the talks with the Europeans. “We are kind of dual tracking this.”
Hook held talks with the three European powers in Berlin on Thursday followed by wider talks on Friday in Vienna with a group that tracks the implementation of the nuclear deal negotiated under former President Barack Obama’s administration.
The United States also had a bilateral meeting with Iran in Vienna to demand the release of American citizens held by Tehran, Hook said.
A senior Iranian Foreign Ministry official confirmed that the United States had raised the issue in the bilateral talks, saying that the Iranian side had responded that this was a matter for the Iranian judiciary, which acts independently.
“However, on humanitarian grounds, we said we will do whatever possible,” added the Iranian official on condition of anonymity. He also said the issue was discussed with the foreign minister of Oman when he visited Tehran earlier this month.
