UN's Ban commends US-Iran prisoner swap, lifting of sanctions

DUBAI (Reuters) - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon hailed on Sunday an exchange of prisoners by the United States and Iran and the lifting of sanctions against Tehran, saying the two countries should now cooperate on additional challenges to find "a safer future".

"I commend the moves by the governments of both countries to improve ties. I am also heartened by the lifting of sanctions against Iran," he said on a visit to Dubai, adding he hoped the parties honoured a nuclear deal that made possible the lifting of curbs.

"Now is the moment to push for cooperation on other pressing challenges through dialogue which should continue to find a way for a safer future," he said.

(Reporting by Sylvia Westall, Writing by William Maclean; Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)