I don't want to take anything away from the Glorious Iranian Spaceshot, but after seeing 2 blokes do the same on Top Gear with a Reliant Robin, it takes away somewhat of the magnitude of this newsitem.

The Top Gear Reliant Robin Rocket was absolutely no where close to reaching what we consider to be 'space' let alone a low earth orbit. It went up a few hundred feet and then came crashing down, in what can only be described as a contrived accident (Hammond obviously bringing his experiences with Sky One's Braniac to the BBC 2 show).

IF the Iranians have managed to launch a rocket capable of putting satellites in orbit then it is a remarkable achievement, and a potentially worrying one. I, however, remain to be convinced that they have actually done anything of the sort.

It will be interesting to see how the US reacts to a potential Iranian ICBM, and whether this brings forward any plans that the Whitehouse has brewing, or whether it suddenly shifts into diplomatic mode now that Iran could potentially land a warhead (either conventional or Nuclear/Chemical/Biological/Radiological) on an American city. If the way the US has dealt with North Korea is anything to go by then this will suddenly put a damper on the current administrations alledged plans for military exploits in Iran.

Just a week after Blair admits that he's been lobbying for US NMD missiles to be sited in the UK, Iran fires a long range missile. Expect the Dear Leader to announce that Britain must take part in Star Wars-lite or be faced with thermonuclear armageddon courtesy of Tehran.

I've been amazed that none of the press on this issue have asked Blair and his flunkies why Britain should take part, the missiles he so desperately wants in Yorkshire would be intended to destroy missiles heading for the US - they'd be useless against an attack on Britain. His gagging-to-help policy will actually make us more of a target to any missile-lobbing nutcase.