Never mind that Iran’s space-bound monkey may have died. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wants to be the first human to launch under the nation’s developing space program.

Iran said last week it successfully sent a monkey into space — though various media have since questioned the truthfulness of that claim. The Telegraph reported that the monkey presented post-launch differed in coloring than the one shown pre-launch. And The Independent observed similarly, reporting the curious disappearance of the post-launch monkey’s red birthmark.

Regardless, Mr. Ahmadinejad on Monday said he wants to launch next.

“I am ready to be the first human to be sent to space by Iranian scientists,” he said, according to a Reuters report.

Reuters also clarified that Mr. Ahmadinejad frequently makes outlandish public statements and that his space launch aspirations may prove little more than bold talk.

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