A bold claim from the Iranian president:

"I am ready to be the first human to be sent to space by Iranian scientists," Ahmadinejad said on Monday, on the sidelines of an exhibition of space achievements in Tehran, according to the Mehr news agency.

"Sending living things into space is the result of Iranian efforts and the dedication of thousands of Iranian scientists."

 

Ahmadinejad might want to be careful, given that it now appears there was at least a bit of fakery involved in last week's monkey launch. Officials have confirmed the monkey shown in photos after the launch was not the same one that was shot into the thermosphere. Iran's space agency maintains that the original simian astronaut is alive and well, but if I were a president with as many enemies as Ahmadinejad, I wouldn't be so eager to follow in the monkey's footsteps.