Ban welcomes 'historic' Iran deal

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday welcomed the "historic" agreement to curb Iran's nuclear program, saying it could help bring peace to the Middle East.

Ban praised the "determination and the commitment" of the negotiators who hammered out the deal, as well as the "courage of the leaders" who approved it.

"I hope -- and indeed believe -- that this agreement will lead to greater mutual understanding and cooperation on the many serious security challenges in the Middle East," Ban said in a statement.

"As such, it could serve as a vital contribution to peace and stability both in the region and beyond."

Ban, who was in Ethiopia for a development financing summit, said the United Nations "stands ready to fully cooperate with the parties in the process of implementing this historic and important agreement."