Treasurer: Illinois has no investment ties to Iran

Illinois State Treasurer Dan Rutherford has announced that state funds managed by his office are clean of holdings in companies doing business with Iran.

Rutherford’s office issued a statement on the matter Wednesday.

The treasurer says Iran suppresses political dissent and supports international terrorism. He says keeping dollars away from countries like Iran helps with global security and the state’s financial well-being.

The Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago played a key role in the passage of a 2007 Iran divestment law in Illinois. Jay Tcath (tuh-KATH’) of the group says the law required the state’s pension funds to divest from Iran, but there was no such obligation placed upon state funds managed by the treasurer’s office.

Tcath praised the state treasurer for voluntarily following the principles of the law.