Iran successfully sends a monkey into space

The Associated Press has an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer about rocketry:

Iranian state television says the country has successfully sent a monkey into space in what's described as another step toward Tehran's goal of a manned space flight.
The report said the monkey was sent up in a Pishtam, or Explorer, rocket to a height of 120 kilometers. It gave no other details on the timing or location of the launch, but said the monkey returned safely.
Iran has said it seeks to send an astronaut into space as part of its ambitious aerospace program. In 2010, Iran said it launched a rocket into space carrying a mouse, a turtle, and worms.
The US and its allies worry that technology from the space program could also be used to develop long-range missiles that could potentially be armed with nuclear warheads.

Rico says hey, that's how our space program got started...