The nuclear deal is hanging on by its fingernails. On a Jan. 12 deadline, U.S. President Donald Trump chose to continue exempting Iran from a package of tough economic sanctions under the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), better known as the Iran nuclear deal. Trump has harshly criticized the JCPOA, saying he does not believe the United States receives enough in exchange for withholding its strongest form of pressure on Iran: the sanctions he extended . Despite harsh criticism from both Iran and the United States, the deal has managed to remain in place. However, Trump has promised not to recertify the deal again in its current form. This means that the European Union, the United States and Iran have just 120 days to strengthen the deal with follow-up agreements, or the sanctions lifted under the nuclear deal will snap back into place.