The Tehran UFO Incident

On September 19, 1976, the skies over Tehran, Iran became the setting for one of the most well-documented military UFO encounters in history. Iranian Air Force jets scrambled to intercept a brilliant object, only to experience electronic failures that have never been explained.

The Night

September 19, 1976:

• Around 12:30 AM
• Clear sky
• Tehran area
• Multiple phone calls
• Citizens alarmed

The Sightings Begin

Citizens reported:

• Brilliant object
• In night sky
• Like bright star
• But moving
• Very unusual

General Yousefi

Deputy Commander:

• Received calls
• Looked himself
• Saw the object
• Ordered intercept
• Jets scrambled

First F-4

Around 1:30 AM:

• F-4 Phantom launched
• Approached object
• At 25 nautical miles
• Instruments failed
• All electronics dead

The Pilot’s Response

Had to retreat:

• Turned away from object
• Instruments restored
• Immediately
• Upon turning
• Pattern established

Second F-4

Lieutenant Jafari:

• Launched second jet
• Better result initially
• Closed on object
• Radar contact achieved
• Enormous return

Radar Assessment

The object:

• Size of Boeing 707
• On radar
• Very large
• Moving rapidly
• Real target

The Chase

Jafari pursued:

• Object accelerated
• He followed
• Cat and mouse
• Could not close
• Impressive speed

Smaller Object

Then:

• Small object emerged
• From main craft
• Came at his jet
• Very bright
• Threatening approach

Weapons Failure

Jafari tried:

• To fire missile
• AIM-9 preparation
• System went dead
• All weapons offline
• Communications too

Evasive Action

He dove:

• Negative G descent
• Object followed
• Then returned
• To main craft
• Rejoined

Another Object

Third object:

• Emerged from main
• Descended
• Toward ground
• Lit up area
• Then went dark

Landing Investigation

Crew later:

• Searched landing area
• Found nothing
• But residents reported
• Sounds, lights
• Something happened

Morning Debriefing

Personnel reported:

• Beeping sounds
• From area
• Electronic interference
• When flying over
• Residual effects

The Documentation

This case has:

• Iranian Air Force report
• DIA evaluation
• State Department cables
• Multiple official sources
• Excellent documentation

DIA Evaluation

Defense Intelligence Agency:

• Called case classic
• Excellent report
• Met all criteria
• Of genuine unknown
• High credibility

Colonel Mooy

U.S. Air Attaché:

• Documented case
• Interviewed witnesses
• Sent to Washington
• Official channels
• Taken seriously

Iranian Official Position

The government:

• Documented encounter
• No explanation offered
• Multiple witnesses
• Official report filed
• Case unexplained

Significance

Tehran case significant for:

• Military documentation
• Weapons failure
• Electronic effects
• Multiple jets
• International importance

Legacy

The Tehran incident remains one of the best-documented military UFO encounters. Official government cables, radar tracking, multiple aircraft involvement, and electronic failures combine to make this case nearly impossible to dismiss.