ISFAHAN, Iran, April 16, 2009

Iranian Scientists Clone Goat

Researchers Hope Experiments Will Yield A Treatment For Stroke Victims

  • Iran's first cloned goat at the Royan Research Institute in the central city of Isfahan, Iran.

    Iran's first cloned goat at the Royan Research Institute in the central city of Isfahan, Iran.  (AP Photo/ISNA)

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(AP)  Iranian scientists have cloned a goat and plan future experiments they hope will lead to a treatment for stroke patients, the leader of the research said Wednesday.

The female goat, named Hana, was born early Wednesday in the city of Isfahan in central Iran, said Dr. Mohammed Hossein Nasr e Isfahani, head of the Royan Research Institute.

"With the birth of Hana, Iran is among five countries in the world cloning a baby goat," said Isfahani, an embryologist.

In 2006 Iran became the first country in the Middle East to announce it had cloned a sheep. Two and a half years later, that animal is healthy, the institute said.

The effort is part of Iran's quest to become a regional powerhouse in advanced science and technology by 2025. In particular, Iran is striving for achievements in medicine and in aerospace and nuclear technology.

Iran's nuclear work has led to an international showdown over Western claims that it wants to develop atomic weapons. Iran says its nuclear activity is aimed at generating electricity, not the bomb.

The cloning of sheep and other animals could lead to advances in medical research, including using cloned animals to produce human antibodies against diseases, Isfahani said.

He said his institute's main aim in cloning the goat is to produce medicine to be used to treat people who have had strokes.

Iran's cloning program has won backing from Shiite Muslim religious leaders, who have issued decrees authorizing animal cloning but banning human reproductive cloning. A majority of Iran's nearly 70 million people are Shiite Muslims.

© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
by Expat type May 2, 2009 8:50 AM EDT
They now have the Islamic world by the testicles as they can supply the almost perfect Muslim wife....Just as soon as they solve how to get them born with veils the Saudis will initiate a second Hajj to Iran to get their wives.
This should upgrade the bloodline after 2000 years of inbreeding with the local goats.
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by theOriginalGatekeeper April 22, 2009 11:24 AM EDT
So, this means the wedding day will be soon?
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by babooph April 21, 2009 5:54 AM EDT
Makes a lot more sense than cloning Bush.
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by ToolMangler1 April 20, 2009 8:46 PM EDT
Iran is a nation that will explode from within, To create life is to claim equality with God/Allah. The Mullahs will not allow this, There will be a schism that divides the country into three or four groups. This could lead to a use of Nukes if Iran has them.

Comments? Denial?
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by cyinzl8r April 17, 2009 9:12 AM EDT
This is too easy! I cant even write about iran having more goats
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by rf35 April 17, 2009 5:06 AM EDT
Why is Dr. Mohammed Hossein Nasr e Isfahani so interested in goats and sheep?
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by Hyptnotized_Liberals April 16, 2009 6:13 PM EDT
Iranian Scientists Clone Goat

-So they cloned another AhmadeniNUTjob?
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by rational_1 April 16, 2009 4:39 PM EDT
Are they preparing for a time when the virgins in Heaven run out? "Don't worry Ahmed, the 72 virgins in Heaven thing isn't working out anymore, but there are plenty of goats for you to frolic with while we get your 'special' vest ready for you." These Iranians are nothing if not practical.
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by inketolstoy April 16, 2009 2:26 PM EDT
"With the birth of Hana, Iran is among five countries in the world cloning a baby goat,"

Thank you, CBS. Every once in a while, you make me smile.
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by JackGarvey April 16, 2009 2:13 PM EDT
Am I right in thinking that the goal in cloning is to create a supply of healthy parts to replace damaged parts ? Iran is more holistic than to just limiting its advances to the creation of nuclear bombs. Mr. Ahmadinejad is a smart person, and must be told that.
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by whitemale08 April 16, 2009 12:49 PM EDT
A good example of how little by little a nation can ween itself off the illegal Federal Reserve System and use nuclear energy to fuel it's own economic and technological development.

This is why the British do not want any country to free itself from the fiat-paper currency of the IMF.

By the British keeping countries tied to the IMF, they can turn their debt into worthless derivatives and credit-default swaps and speculate their value on Wall Street/City of London.

This is how the British Empire of worthless derivatives and credit-default swaps works folks, and now it's crashing down.

It's past time to get rid of the IMF/World Bank and cancel the 1.4 quadrillion in worthless derivatives and credit-default swaps so the banksters can eat their losses and leave the rest of mankind and nations alone to develop and prosper without the burden of usury and serfdom.
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by imotorist April 16, 2009 12:30 PM EDT
With this technology they could also clone another Amadinutjob.
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by Yes_ABWH_Fan April 16, 2009 11:23 AM EDT
They can clone goats - the U.S. will continue to produce Heroes.
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