Sputnik- United Nations welcomes the one-year anniversary since the beginning of the implementation of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General Farhan Haq said at a UN press briefing on Monday.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) – On July 14, 2015, the P5+1 group of countries reached the JCPOA to ensure the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program in return for sanctions relief.

The agreement came into force on January 16, 2016, after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) submitted a report confirming the readiness of Iran's authorities to implement the program to reduce the country’s nuclear potential.

Iran ramped up both oil production and investment in the sector after the deal. "The United Nations welcomes the first anniversary of the achievement of implementation day under the joint comprehensive plan of action (JCPOA) which marks a significant milestone in the historic agreement," Haq said. According to Haq, the agreement plays a great role in ensuring peaceful character of Iran’s nuclear program. The UN encourages all member states to support the implementation of JCPOA "in its entirety" and stresses it is important for the agreement to deliver "tangible benefits to the Iranian people".