Nobel Foundation disinvites Iran from award ceremony

Oct. 28 (UPI) -- The Nobel Foundation, the organization that manages the Nobel Prize, on Friday disinvited Iran's representatives from its award ceremony because of its involvement in Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The foundation had previously banned representatives from Russia and Belarus from the ceremony, in accordance with Swedish and European diplomatic policy.

"Although Sweden and other European countries do not yet have any corresponding diplomatic policy regarding Iran, the issue is still evolving and we believe that -- given the serious and escalating situation -- Iran's ambassador should not be invited to the Nobel Prize award ceremony," the Nobel Foundation said in a statement.

Last week, the European Council and the British government announced sanctions on Iran for allowing the Russian military to use Iranian Shahed-136 drones in its war against Ukraine.

Russian forces had launched 16 of the drones at Ukrainian infrastructure last Saturday.

Tehran has repeatedly denied that it has given drones to Russia for use in the war. State Department spokesman Ned Price said the United States had confirmed the use of the drones during the invasion.

The Nobel Foundation is a private institution established in 1900 to manage the fortune of the late Alfred Nobel and secure financial standing for the Nobel Prize over the long term while guaranteeing the independence of their work of selecting recipients.