Obama calls Iran nuclear deal's first step "important milestone"

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses a joint news conference with South Korea's President Park Geun-hye in the East Room of the White House in Washington October 16, 2015. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed "adoption day" of the Iran nuclear agreement on Sunday as the United States approved conditional sanctions waivers to take effect when Tehran curbs its nuclear program. "Today marks an important milestone toward preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and ensuring its nuclear program is exclusively peaceful going forward," Obama said. Sunday was "adoption day" for the deal, which came 90 days after the U.N. Security Council endorsed the agreement reached by Iran and six world powers under which most sanctions on Iran would be lifted in exchange for limits on Tehran's nuclear activities. (Reporting by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Gareth Jones)