But Seems To Have Forgotten An Iranian-Born Woman Flew To The ISS In 2006

In a speech to scientists in Tehran recently, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he stands ready to be the country's first astronaut, seemingly forgetting that an Iranian-born woman has already flown in space.

"I'm ready to be the first Iranian to sacrifice myself for our country's scientists," he said in the speech. But back in 2006, Iranian-born telecommunications entrepreneur Anousheh Ansari made a journey to the International Space Station aboard a Soyuz TMA-9 spacecraft ... a trip for which she paid some $20 million.

Ahmadinejad's statement, reported in the Irish newspaper The Independent, came after the country reportedly sent a monkey into space last week, though there are some questions as to whether the animal actually survived the trip. The Associated Press reports that the U.S. State Department said that the monkey that appeared in photographs as it was being taken out of the spacecraft appeared to be different than the monkey that was seen in photographs being placed aboard. "The Iranians said they sent a monkey, but the monkey that they showed later seemed to have different facial features," State Department Spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told reporters. "He was missing a little wart."

Iran's Defence Minister Ahmad Vahidi said the country plans to launch satellites "soon" from the Imam Khomeini space center currently under construction. It also has a satellite launch complex east of Tehran.

(Pictured: Anousheh Ansari following her ISS visit)

FMI: www.state.gov, www.anoushehansari.com