Nobel Foundation retracts invitation for ambassadors of Russia, Belarus and Iran

The Nobel Foundation said its decision to invite all ambassadors to the Nobel Prize award ceremony provoked “strong reactions", thus, it canceled invitation for Russia, Belarus, Iran and Sweden's far-right party.

This is said in a statement published on the Foundation’s website.

“We recognize the strong reactions in Sweden, which completely overshadowed this message. The board of the Nobel Foundation, therefore, choose to repeat last year's exception to regular practice – that is, to not invite the ambassadors of Russia, Belarus and Iran to the Nobel Prize award ceremony in Stockholm,” the statement says.

The Foundation added that all ambassadors will be invited to the ceremony in Oslo, Norway.

As reported on September 1, the Nobel Foundation changed its invitation policy and invited Russia, Belarus and Iran, as well as the leader of the previously banned far-right Swedish party.

On the same day, Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson reacted to the Foundation's decision, saying that he was very surprised by the decision to invite Russia to the ceremony and that he would have avoided inviting an aggressor country if he had worked on the issue.

Representatives of three Swedish parties immediately announced a boycott of the ceremony after the Foundation decided to invite a representative of the Russian Federation.

Also, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Estonia Margus Tsahkna criticized the Nobel Foundation for inviting Russians and Belarusians to the upcoming Nobel Prize banquet in Stockholm, Sweden.