The 1976 Tehran UFO Incident

In the early morning hours of September 19, 1976, Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom jets were scrambled to intercept an unknown object over Tehran. What followed became one of the most well-documented military encounters with a UFO, featuring multiple witnesses, radar confirmation, and electronic weapons failures.

Initial Reports

Residents of Tehran began reporting a bright light in the sky around 12:30 AM on September 19, 1976. The Imperial Iranian Air Force received numerous calls and dispatched an F-4 Phantom to investigate.

As the first jet approached the object, the pilot observed a bright light that changed colors in sequence. When he attempted to arm his weapons, all instrumentation and communications failed. He broke off the approach, and his systems returned to normal.

The Second Intercept

A second F-4 was scrambled. This pilot approached the object and obtained radar lock. The UFO appeared on radar as comparable in size to a 707 tanker aircraft. As he closed in, the pilot observed the object clearly: it was an intensely bright light that flashed red, green, and blue in rapid sequence.

A smaller, brightly lit object detached from the main UFO and headed directly toward the jet. The pilot attempted to fire an AIM-9 sidewinder missile, but his weapons control panel and communications went dead. He initiated evasive maneuvers as the smaller object pursued him briefly before returning to the main craft.

Ground Observations

The crew of the second F-4 observed another object detach from the UFO and descend toward the ground, illuminating a dry lake bed. The next day, a helicopter searched the area but found no physical evidence.

Ground stations reported electromagnetic interference coinciding with the UFO’s presence. Multiple civilian witnesses corroborated the pilots’ accounts.

Documentation

The incident was documented in a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report, which described it as “a classic which meets all the criteria necessary for a valid study of the UFO phenomenon.” The report detailed the multiple-witness accounts, radar confirmation, and electromagnetic effects.

Assessment

The Tehran incident remains one of the most compelling military UFO encounters on record. The involvement of trained military pilots, radar confirmation, documented equipment failures, and the U.S. government’s own assessment of the case’s significance make it a cornerstone of UFO evidence.