TEHRAN (IRNA) – Some Iranian officials including Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance Ahmad Masjed Jamei, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi, Deputy Foreign Minister Mohsen Aminzadeh and number of other officials expressed joy over the winning of Nobel Peace Prize by Shirin Ebadi for her efforts in defending the rights of women and children.

In a message on Friday Masjed Jamei praised Ms. Ebadi's efforts to defend the rights of women and children.

Masjed Jamei said that Ebadi's peaceful activities through use of the country's cultural and social potentials is a token of Iranian Muslim women's merits.

The Nobel Committee on Friday awarded the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize to Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi.

She is the first Muslim woman to receive a Nobel prize.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman Assefi also expressed pleasure over the success Ebadi to receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize for defending the rights of children.

The spokesman said the award is indicative of the high status of women in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Deputy Foreign Minister for Asia-Pacific Affairs Mohsen Aminzadeh termed Friday the success of Iranian lawyer in winning the Nobel Prize as a token of dynamism of Iranian women. It is important that Ebadi is the first Muslim woman to win this prestigious prize, Aminzadeh noted

Aminzadeh also expressed hope that the global status of Iranian women would be further promoted.