President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Monday he was ready to be the first human sent into orbit by Iran’s fledgling space program, Iranian media reported.
Iran declared last week that it had successfully launched a monkey into space and retrieved it alive, which officials hailed as a major step towards their goal of sending humans into space.
The launch added to Western concerns about Iran’s space programme because the same rocket technology could potentially be used to deliver a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile.
“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 is known for provocative public comments and it was unclear whether the suggestion was a serious one.
His second and final term as president ends in June, and his political star has been on the wane since he fell out with parliament early in his second term and appeared to lose the support of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
On Sunday he stood up in parliament to play a tape recording that he said provided evidence of corruption by the family of parliamentary speaker Ali Larijani, his political arch-rival and a likely frontrunner to succeed him as president. Larijani and his brother Fazel denied the accusations.
(Reuters)
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11 Responses
Send an ex-president, widely regarded to have made a mess in office, into space would be a novel approach. More humane then sending a monkey, and better than paying a pension.
Maybe they can keep him there in space.
I share the contempt for Ahmadinejad that just about any normal person would feel but respectfully disagree with the editorial decision to run these types of cartoons where unfortunately yidden are all to often portrayed in the most vile terms (e.g. the London Times blood libel cartoon last week for which Murdoch subsequently appologized). I think we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard in conveying our disagreemnt with even the most contemptable leaders such as Ahmadinejad, who would be a modern day Haman harashah.
And I thought all along that the monkey they sent up was him!
What?? Why would they send 2 monkeys up to space??
This would be great that he should leave this world. But please they should make it right now without delay.
Yes, I would even pay to go to Iran and watch them send him off. Please include Carter and obama with him. And for a spiritual leader they can take the head of Neutrei Carta
Do I hear one-way ticket anyone? But I do agree with Gadolhadorah. A bit of a dangerous thing to depict this rasha davka as a monkey in a public media forum. Could be asking for trouble… (they do not, as the expression goes, “get it.”)
An important reminder. Chazal teach us to carefully choose our words even when said in private. Responsibility to Am Yisroel is a requisite to anyone posting comments on public sites like this one. Let us never forget the kindness of the people and the government of our great country for sharing with us the privileges of citizenship and democratic liberties. In return, we join in allegiance to the USA. Referring to our President and other government officials derogatorily is inexcusably irresponsible and is an affront to all citizens of the United States.
Torahwriter, with all due respect, if you want to make that request from the standpoint of a Torah policy, well, perhaps. But this is, last I checked, a free country. No one threatened anyone or suggested treachery or subterfuge. In this country, we are indeed grateful—for the privilege of criticizing our government in the media, without fear of repercussion.
To Mrs. D
Torahwriter’s point, which was well taken, did not suggest we are not free to criticize our government, a freedom well exercised here on YWN by most of us, but rather the common sense of derech eretz of grouping our President with Ahmadinejad who is clearly on a par with the greatest reshaim in our history. You are free to say anything you want but substantially devalue your commentary when you engage in such childish hyperbole.