Iran’s hunt for its next animal astronaut may turn to the distinctive and locally named Persian cat, an official said Monday, in another possible step by the country’s ambitious aerospace program that has also raised Western concerns about spillover military applications.

The report by the official IRNA news agency comes seven months after Iran claimed it launched a monkey out of earth’s atmosphere and successfully returned it home. The account, however, faced international questions after photos appeared to show different monkeys in pre- and post-launch images.

A senior space program official, Mohammad Ebrahimi, said Iran’s next space capsule could carry the Persian cat, a long-haired, flat-faced breed named after Iran’s former name of Persia. He said the launch will happen by the end of Iran’s current year, which ends March 21. The report said a mouse and rabbit also are under consideration.

Iran says it wants to put its own satellites into orbit to monitor natural disasters in the earthquake-prone nation, improve telecommunications and expand military surveillance in the region.

Earlier this year, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he wanted to be Iran’s first astronaut.