For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
October 11, 2003

Statement on Shirin Ebadi
Statement by the President

The United States congratulates Shirin Ebadi on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize -- a first for an Iranian, and for a Muslim woman. The prize recognizes her lifetime of championing human rights and democracy. I strongly support the Iranian people's aspirations for freedom, and their desire for democracy. The future of Iran must be decided by the people of Iran. Americans look forward to the day when a free Iran stands as an example of tolerance, prosperity, and democracy in the Middle East and around the world.

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