COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - Gov. Nikki Haley has signed into law a bill that prohibits South Carolina from investing funds or contracting with international companies that have invested at least $20 million in Iran's energy sectors.
A watchdog group says South Carolina joins 29 other states that have divestment laws against Iran but Monday's signing makes South Carolina the first state to implement sanctions since an interim deal was struck in January that lifted some U.S. and European sanctions against Iran's economy.
Experts say the sanctions send a political message more than anything else and don't have any real financial impact.
Republican US Sen. Lindsey Graham says the measure sends signals Iran they are not welcome in the state as long as they try to pursue nuclear weapons and threaten the U.S. and Israel.
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
