WASHINGTON – The United States has had constructive talks about the Irannuclear deal with Britain, France and Germany but is making contingencyplans should they fail, the lead US negotiator said on Wednesday.

US President Donald Trump gave an ultimatum on January 12 to the Europeanpowers saying they must agree to “fix the terrible flaws” of the 2015 Irannuclear deal or he would refuse to extend the US sanctions relief on Iranthat it calls for US sanctions will resume unless Trump again waives themon May 12.

“We have had constructive talks with the Europeans towards a supplementalagreement but I can’t predict whether we will reach an agreement with themor not,” Brian Hook, the State Department policy planning director, toldreporters in a conference call.

“We always have to prepare for any eventuality and so we are engaged incontingency planning because it would not be responsible not to,” Hook, thelead US negotiator in the talks with the Europeans, said. “We are kind ofdual tracking this.

“Hook had two sets of meetings in Europe last week: talks with the threeEuropean powers in Berlin on Thursday followed by wider talks on Friday inVienna with a group that tracks the implementation of the 2015 nucleardeal, which was negotiated during former President Barack Obama’sadministration.

The United States also had a bilateral meeting with Iran apart from thenuclear talks to demand the release of US citizens held by the Iraniangovernment, Hook said. That meeting took place in Vienna, a second StateDepartment official said.