Despite last year’s Iran nuclear deal and the removal of most US sanctions on the rogue nation, the state of Texas has not only refused to end its own state sanctions on Iran, its decided to strengthen them.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott rejected on Monday a recent request by President Barack Obama to “review” its sanctions against the Iranian regime, according to a report by The Algemeiner. Obama stressed that as part of last year’s nuclear deal, the US has promised to remove economic sanctions against Iran.

In a sharply worded letter, however, Abbott refused to end his state’s sanctions of Iran, blasting the Iran nuclear deal as a strategic blunder.

“I strongly oppose the Iran deal because it undermines the national security of the United States and its strategic allies abroad – especially our most important Middle East ally, Israel. Entering into an agreement with a country that consistently calls for ‘death to America,’ and repeatedly articulates anti-Semitic policies is short-sighted and ignores geopolitical realities.”

Abbott, a long-time supporter of Israel, recently spoke during a panel discussion with Jewish media outlets in New York about the unique relationship between Texas and Israel.

“Israel has no stronger ally in the United States than the state of Texas. That’s true for several reasons, in part because of our personality similarities, but also in part because of our commitment to defending religious liberty [and] state sovereignty. There is no state — I say with a smile — in the country that defends state sovereignty more than Texas. And there is no country that defends state sovereignty more than the nation of Israel.”

“[W]hen I draw parallels between Israel and Texas, don’t take my word for it; take the word of Bibi Netanyahu. The thing he seemed proudest to talk about was the trip that his son took to the state of Texas. His son came back and told his father, ‘Dad, Texans are just like us.’ And it’s stunningly true.”