The United Nations praised the Nobel Peace Prize awarded Friday to nuclear disarmament group ICAN as good news in a world where the elimination of nuclear weapons is needed more than ever.

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was among the first to congratulate the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons for its win.

"Now more than ever we need a world without nuclear weapons," he said on Twitter.

A UN spokeswoman in Geneva, Alessandra Vellucci, said the award is "a good omen" for the eventual ratification of a treaty banning nuclear weapons, the United Nations said.

The historic nuclear weapons ban treaty was signed by 122 countries in July.

The award came as North Korea has set the world on edge with a series of nuclear and missile tests that have sent global tensions soaring.

US President Donald Trump threatened to "totally destroy" North Korea in a UN General Assembly speech last month, and is reported to be ready to turn his back on an international agreement with Iran to curb its nuclear progr