In the early morning hours of September 19, 1976, multiple military and civilian witnesses in Tehran, Iran, experienced an unidentified flying object (UFO) encounter that has since become one of the most documented and debated cases in UFO history. Two Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantom II jet interceptors were scrambled to investigate a strange bright object in the sky, leading to dramatic claims of radar/visual contact and unexplained equipment failures[1][2]. What makes the Tehran incident especially significant is the wealth of official documentation it generated – including U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) reports obtained via the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) – and the high caliber of the witnesses involved (air force officers, a general, and experienced controllers)[3]. In this article, we will delve into the Tehran UFO incident in detail, examining the timeline of events, reviewing primary source documents, hearing from the witnesses, and considering both official analyses and skeptical explanations. By the end, you will understand why this 1976 encounter is often cited as a “classic” UFO case and what questions remain open about what really happened that night.
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