Did Iran's monkey astronaut really return from space?

photo
Iran

Left: the monkey during a press conference on January 31. Right: before his departure for space.

On January 28, Iran captured the world’s attention by sending a monkey into space. The international community largely interpreted this move as a way for Iran to show it is making scientific progress, despite economic sanctions imposed by the West in an effort to impede the development of an Iranian nuclear program.

A photo taken on the day of the monkey's departure.

However, official photos of this event have raised some questions online. While Iranian authorities insisted on the fact that the monkey had returned from his mission alive after having travelled 120 kilometres into the sky, Internet users are asking interesting questions about the animal’s health. Indeed, some of them have noticed a major difference between the photos of the monkey in the spaceship before the launch and photos from the press conference three days later, after his return: a big red birthmark over his right eye had disappeared.

This photo was taken during the press conference celebrating his return.

Another troubling detail is that while photos of the rocket’s departure were widely broadcast by Iran’s official press agencies, no images of its return have as of yet been published. This has left Internet sleuths wondering whether Iranian authorities might be hiding the fact that the space-travelling simian may be in bad shape, or possibly have met his untimely demise.

Post written in collaboration with Omid Habibinia.

Comments

Iranian Monkey Business

Submitted by JerryJ26 (not verified) on Thu, 28/02/2013 - 17:09.

That's almost as believable as their first fighter jet. I'm an aircraft mechanic and can tell that the thing would never get off the ground.

Do you really believe !?

Submitted by kfir (not verified) on Wed, 06/02/2013 - 14:10.

The answer for that - is a big NO ! .
And a specially when it come from - FARS news....

Unsure

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Wed, 06/02/2013 - 12:22.

Surely the Iranians would have thought about the big red mark over his eye? They wouldn't be stupid enough to use different monkeys that didn't look the same, surely? I'm not sure it is a different monkey. Maybe that wasn't a birth mark, I mean who said it was? Maybe it was a spot or a little wound that healed over? I don't know either way, I'm just saying I think they'd be a bit more meticulous if they were making stuff up for the rest of the world.

Hey wait a second, aren't

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Sun, 03/02/2013 - 13:08.

Hey wait a second, aren't "conspiracy theories" taboo in official channels?
Ah wait, no, sorry, official conspiracy theories are official, I get it now!

France24 = conspiracy theories?

Submitted by Unregistered user (not verified) on Mon, 04/02/2013 - 10:00.

They showed more than photos - they have footage of the rocket. Still...it's becoming clear that the English-speaking part of France 24 is being run...by English speakers who parrot whatever the NY Times or the Guardian says. I'd hoped France 24 English would provide a French viewpoint for english speakers. Guess not....