In a speech of acceptance of her prestigious Prize, Mrs. Ebadi criticised western major powers of using the 11 September attacks as a smokescreen to cover up human rights violations.

"In the past two years, some states have violated the universal principles and laws of human rights by using the events of September 11 and the war on international terrorism as a pretext", she said in her speech that observers said was short, but diversified.

At the same time, she expressed the wish that her award would increase hope in Islamic countries striving for full democracy and human rights.

"Only an experience lawyer could address so many problems in such a short period of time", one western diplomat present at the grandiose and moving ceremonies told Iran Press Service.

"Your name will shine in the history of the Peace Prize", Committee head Ole Danbolt Mjoes said in a speech, adding that he hoped the award would inspire reform. "And let me hasten to add: this applies to the Western world as well", a visibly delighted the Nobel Committee chairman Ole Mjoes responded.

Dressed in a pale yellow skirt with a matching jacket and wearing no headscarf, a stern Ebadi spoke in Farsi to an audience that included Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, hosts of Thursday's Nobel concert.

Iranian Ambassador to Norway and his wife, wearing the Islamic hejab, also attended the ceremonies.

"All people are entitled to fundamental rights, and at a time when Islam is being demonised in many quarters of the Western world, it was the Norwegian Nobel Committee's wish to underline how important and how valuable it is to foster dialogue between peoples and between civilizations", Mjoes said in his introduction speech.

"This is a wish that most people share and that is why the reactions to this year's award have been so positive, even though we understand if you had perhaps hoped for a few more congratulations from the authorities of your own home country and region", he added.

"The Norwegian Nobel Committee is convinced that the Peace Prize has been awarded to the right person, at the right time and in the right place", Mjoes said, adding "Let us hope that the Prize will also inspire changes in your beloved home country, Iran, as well as in many other parts of the world (...) Fundamental values, such as liberty, justice and respect for human rights will -- in all places and at all times -- need vigilant and critical champions".

Near the Oslo City Hall, about 50 exiled Iranian opponents of the ruling Islamic regime of Iran held a demonstration, shouting "Down with the Islamic Republic of Iran". Some of them accused Ebadi of wrongly supporting Khatami.

In Iran, conservative newspapers called on authorities to prevent Ebadi giving speeches at Iranian universities. "Our universities are no place for hypocrites", the ultra conservative "Ya Lesarat" weekly newspaper said.

Hard-line "Jomhoori Eslami" newspaper that belongs to Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i, the leader of the Islamic Republic lambasted Ebadi for appearing in public without a headscarf and for shaking hands with men. "They gave this supposed Nobel prize to her to become a tool of foreign powers' goals in Iran", the paper said.

"Ebadi is an activist for refugee rights, as well as those of women and children. She is the founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children's Rights in Iran. Ebadi has written a number of academic books and articles focused on human rights", the statement noted.

Mrs. Ebadi was one of Iran's first female judges before the 1979 Islamic revolution, but was forced to step down under Islamic laws.

Her selection as winner from a record field of 165 candidates came as a surprise but was dismissed by the Iranian clerical rulers, accusing the Nobel Academy of having acted under pressures from the Americans and Zionist circles.

She collected a gold medal and the 1.4 million US Dollars or 1.1 Euros. Swedish kronor (about 1.4 million dollars, 1.1 million euros).