Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store reports that the Iranian authorities have seized the Nobel Peace Prize that was awarded to the Iranian human rights activist Shirin Ebadi in 2003.

The Norwegian foreign minister has delivered an official protest to Iran's political representative in Oslo. Ms Ebadi was forced to hand over the medal and Nobel Peace Prize certificate to the authorities. The Iranian government has also frozen her bank account, which contained the money awarded to her when she won the prize.

Mr Store says it is the first time that a country has seized a Nobel prize. Ms Ebadi received the prize for her work as a lawyer and human rights activist.

Human rights activist Shirin Ebadi
Photo by Wikimedia Commons