The conference was authorized by the University’s Board that includes a representative from Ayatollah Ali Khameneh’i, the leader of the Islamic Republic, but some 40 to 50 so-called basiji students entered the amphitheatre with shouts of "Ebadi, Shirin amrika’i, ozr khaahi, ozr khaahi" (Ebadi, the sweet of the Americans, excuses, excuses) and fought with other students who conducted the Nobel Peace out of the hall and out of the University, counter shouting: "Violence, Dogmatism, Taleban’s Islam" and "Freedom of thought, Not possible with beard and turban".

"Everyone in this country must have the right to free expression of ideas, but not with violence and in illegality", Mrs. Ebadi, an outspoken lawyer and human rights campainer told journalists after the incident that had outraged Mrs. Zahra Rahnavard, the Dean of the Zahra University.

"The regrettable action of some irresponsible people who claims to promote the ideals of Islam is against my policy of free flow of ideas. I either confront these people or resign", assured Mrs. Rahnavard, the wife of former Prime Minister Mir Hoseyn Mousavi.

Several political, cultural and university personalities present at the auditorium blamed the authorities, most particularly the Judiciary for the incident, observing that "had the officials dealt with the pressure groups properly, they could not do what they did today", according to local press.

Mrs. Ebadi was awarded the prestigious Prize on 10 October by the Norwegian Nobel Academy. The decision had utterly angered Iranian ruling conservative ayatollahs who accused the judges of having made the choice under pressure from the "American and Zionist circles".

The basiji students belongs to families "martyr" of the Iran-Iraq war and are on the payroll from the conservatives who uses tem against the majority of Iranian students struggling for radical changes in the present Iranian theocratic system.

The Wednesday incident came as families and friends of two prominent intellectuals murdered five years ago by high-ranking intelligence officers said the authorities prevented them from organizing commemoration services in Tehran for their beloved ones.

Writers, poets, translators and human rights activists Mohammad Ja’far Pooyandeh and Mohammad Mokhtari were murdered early December 1988, few days after the assassination of Mr. Dariush Foroohar and his wife, Parvaneh Eskandari by agents the authorities claimed they were members of a "rogue group" inside the Intelligence Ministry.

"For the third consecutive years, we have been unable to get authorization to commemorate the murder of my father", said Mr. Siavosh Mokhtari, confirmed by Ms. Sima Pooyandeh, the son and daughter of the slain intellectuals.

Mr. Naser Zarafshan, the lawyer for the families of the victims is also in prison, condemned to five years of jail, accused of having revealed to the press classified documents regarding the case, better known as the "Serial Murders". ENDS EBADI INCIDENTS 31203