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One year after Iran's presidential elections that infamously ended in violent protests, the New Jersey Assembly Republicans held a press conference June 10 to express their continued support of New Jersey's divestment from companies that do business with Iran, as well as other initiatives in the state that wish to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Assemblyman Jon Bramnick (R-Essex, Morris, Somerset, and Union) facilitated the press conference at the Statehouse in Trenton, which included Senators Tom Kean (R-Union), Robert Singer (R-Ocean), Kip Bateman (R-Somerset), and Joe Vitale (D-Middlesex), who originally sponsored S-2615, the bill unanimously passed in 2007 that proposed the idea of divestment from Iran-affiliated businesses. Also at the press conference were Assemblymen Linda Stender (D-Union), the prime sponsor of the divestment bill in the Assembly; Gordon Johnson (D-Bergen), the chair of law and public safety; and Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex), chair of judiciary and co-sponsor of the divestment bill in the Assembly.

"I think, as an American, the threat of Iran and the rhetoric of their president is frightening and chilling," Stender told The Jewish State after the press conference. "Speaking the words of freedom and peace are important, but being able to put real meat to it, in terms of how we invest our tax dollars, sends a strong statement beyond just the words."

The bill, still in effect, prohibits New Jersey's pension and annuity funds from being invested in foreign companies that do business with Iran. It also requires these funds to divest any interests in such companies. The New Jersey Department of the Treasury, Division of Investment identified 34 companies that either had ties to the Iranian government or were engaged in business with the defense or nuclear sector of Iran. Around 90 percent of business has been divested as of January 2010.

"Since we do not control foreign policy, nor does the governor set one, we need to send a message, set a tone, and take whatever action we can as state legislators," Bramnick said. "We can do that with divestiture. I am sure that as more Americans and more New Jerseyans join the effort by contacting their congressmen and their senators that does lend a hand towards a strong effort against Iran."

Representatives from Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Rep. Scott Garrett (R-N.J.) were present as well, and they each read statements from the officials regarding the divestment initiative.

"The Iranian regime has proven time and again to be a de-stabilizing force in the Middle East and in the world, threatening the existence of our stalwart ally Israel and relentlessly seeking nuclear weapons," said Carolyn Fefferman on behalf of Menendez. "As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the conference committee for the Iran Sanctions Act, I will continue to fight on the federal level to implement sanctions, including targeting the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, its supporters and affiliates, and any foreign governments that provide it with support."

Garrett, who is a co-sponsor of House Resolution 704, which supports the efforts of Iranian dissidents, and one of 12 signers of a letter to President Barack Obama encouraging him to support Iranian dissidents, said in a statement that he will "continue to support prompt, aggressive action to deter Iran's nuclear ambitions."

"We must condemn attempts by the Iranian regime and the al-Maliki government to harm these Iranian political refugees," said Jim Daniels, chairman of the Stop Iran Now campaign, who read Garrett's statement.

The keynote of the press conference was 17-year-old Danielle Flaum, a high school student from Short Hills who founded the group No Nukes for Iran in October 2009 to raise awareness about Iran's nuclear program. Now, the program has a presence in 25 states; has lobbied Congress, the foreign relations committees, and Amb. Michael Oren; and has extended its work from awareness to advocacy as it starts to vocalize its support for divestment efforts made by states similar to New Jersey's.

"Originally, it was just education and awareness, to get it around the states," Flaum told The Jewish State after the press conference. "That's still part of our goal. We're in 25 states, so we got 25 more to go, but another thing is divestment -- that's what we're addressing here today. If someone can do this in another state, and all the other states are divesting, [the idea can be brought] to Obama, to Congress, and that will start making a huge difference."

Flaum's passion against Iran's nuclear program began with her love for Israel. She told The Jewish State that hearing Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threaten Israel was her main inspiration for starting No Nukes for Iran.

"Israel is a very important thing to me, and Iran has said many times that they want to wipe Israel off the map, so that was the first thing that popped into my head," Flaum said. "Israel is one of the more important things in my life, and if Iran wanted to destroy Israel, something has to be done to stop Iran."

The issue is not just pertinent to Israel supporters -- Flaum believes that it is an issue for the Western world.

"It's a global issue -- Iran doesn't only hate Israel; they hate us," she said. "If the United States is in just as much danger as Israel is, then all the other countries are. Something needs to be done and nothing in my life was being done, so I thought, 'I need to do something to make a difference.'"