"I will not change the way in which I work. The awarding of the prize showed that this method is a good one," said the 56-year-old jurist and first Muslim woman to win the prize.

Although Ebadi said she had no desire to enter politics -- some fans have even tipped her as a future political leader -- Ebadi did tell authorities "to respect its international engagements regarding human rights".

She also said she would also continue to stand behind dissidents, another one of her campaigns that has angered members of Iran's powerful religious right.

"The defence of those facing political accusations has always been a priority, and this will continue," the petite and softly spoken jurist told reporters. She also repeated her "hope" for all political prisoners to be freed.

Ebadi, who was given the prize last Friday for her efforts to promote democracy and human rights, was welcomed by thousands of fans as she returned to Iran late Tuesday.

Some 10,000 people, a majority of them women, descended on Tehran's Mehrabad airport for her homecoming, with bumper-to-bumper traffic bringing an area around the airport to a standstill.

Many in the crowd shouted political slogans, echoing Ebadi's calls for political prisoners to be set free, and chants directed against embattled reformist President Mohammad Khatami who earlier Tuesday poured scorn on the value of the prize.

Most of the women were also wearing white headscarves. An organising committee, set up by supporters of Ebadi to plan festivities for her return, had called on women to make the symbolic gesture of wearing white rather than the usual black preferred by the Islamic regime.

While in Paris -- where she had been for a short visit when the prize was announced -- Ebadi had again angered hardliners here by not covering her head as Iranian law demands.

Earlier, President Khatami broke four days of silence over her prize win, warning her to "pay attention" and pouring cold water on her achievement.

"Obviously I am pleased that a compatriot has achieved such success," Khatami said on emerging from parliament. But, in comments that stunned observers, Khatami added: "The Nobel Peace Prize is not very important, the ones that count are the scientific and literary prizes.

"I hope that Mrs Ebadi, who comes from a religious family and has expressed her love for Islam, will pay attention to the interests of the Islamic world and of Iran, and not allow anyone to exploit her success."

Echoing comments already heard from Iranian hardliners, he added there were "political criteria" behind the Nobel committee's decision.

In contrast, the president's brother and reformist party leader Mohammad Reza Khatami told parliament that "the Nobel Peace Prize is one of the most honorary and most influential prizes, and we are grateful to the Nobel committee for awarding this prize to an Iranian citizen."