(VOVworld) – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that the nuclear deal agreed to last year by Iran and six world powers is the best way of ensuring the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program. 

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon briefs the press at UN Headquarters in New York.  (Photo: Reuters)

In a statement issued Wednesday, Mr. Ban congratulated the Council and the participants in the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the first anniversary of the historic achievement and commended the progress made so far. He said the JCPOA was a triumph of diplomacy for conflict resolution and prevention, and strengthened global norms for nuclear non-proliferation. He explained that, combined with a robust verification process, the agreement ended one of the Council’s strictest sanctions programs, and provided Iran an opportunity for greater engagement with the international community. He commended Iran for honoring its nuclear commitments, as verified by the International Atomic Energy Agency, and applauded the steps taken by the EU and the US.

Last July 20^th, the Council adopted resolution 2231, endorsing the JCPOA under which Iran pledged that it will not seek, develop, or acquire nuclear weapons. The resolution called the deal a culmination of diplomatic efforts by Iran and the P5+1.