The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and its 63-year-old Egyptian chief are being honored "for their efforts to prevent nuclear energy from being used for military purposes."
The agency and ElBaradei have most recently been instrumental in thorny nuclear negotiations in Iran, threatening to take the country before the UN Security Council for violating non-proliferation rules.
Speaking in Oslo on Friday, ElBaradei said the international community was losing patience with Iran over its nuclear program but cautioned against using military action.
"I don't believe there is a military solution to the issue," he said.
He and the UN agency were to receive the prize, consisting of a Nobel diploma, a gold medal and 10 million krona (US$1.3 million) to be split between them, from chairman of the Nobel Committee Ole Mjoes at a formal ceremony in Oslo last night.
RSS