UNITED NATIONS   -- The United Nations Security Council announced on Sunday that it has removed Iranian Bank Sepah and its international subsidiary from a sanctions list, said a note to correspondents by the council.

This move came after Saturday's announcement of a UN report confirming that Iran has completed necessary preparatory steps to start the implementation of a plan of action aiming to resolve the nuclear issue, it said.

Security Council resolution 2231 (2015), reached by Iran and a group of six countries, namely China, France, Germany, Russia, United Kingdom and United States, entrusted the International Atomic Energy Agency with verifying and monitoring Iran's commitments, it said.