DiNapoli: State Pension Fund Should Cut Ties With Iran

New York State's retirement money is the latest battleground in the U.S.-Iran conflict. The state comptroller, Thomas DiNapoli, announced plans yesterday to begin the process of divesting the $154 billion state pension fund from companies with ties to Iran's energy and defense sectors.

"At some point we have to ask, can we afford to risk pension fund investments in a country led by this kind of regime?" Mr. DiNapoli said yesterday.

The divestment plan is modeled after California legislation signed by Governor Schwarzenegger, which ordered the state pension fund to cut ties with Iran.