Nobel Foundation rescinds Russia, Belarus, Iran invites to ceremony

The foundation behind the prestigious Nobel Prizes said Saturday it will rescind ceremony invitations for the Russian, Belarusian and Iranian ambassadors in a reversal of a previous decision.

The Nobel Foundation decided to invite the trio of ambassadors to the Stockholm awards ceremony in December in an announcement Thursday, but faced significant backlash.

“We recognise the strong reactions in Sweden,” the foundation said in a statement on Saturday.

“We, 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 foundation initially said that the ceremony “promotes opportunities to convey the important messages of the Nobel Prize to everyone,” even those with politics disagreeable to Swedes. 

The nation’s prime minister was among the invitations’ detractors.

”To isolate Russia in every possible way — militarily, economically — it is necessary,” Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson told Swedish news agency TT.

Other Swedish politicians vowed to boycott the ceremony if the Russian ambassador were to attend.

Nobel Prize winners are announced in October and five of the six prizes are awarded at a grand ceremony in downtown Stockholm in December, the anniversary of inventor Alfred Nobel’s death. The Peace Prize is awarded separately in Oslo.