Status: Corroborated — reported by civilians, air traffic control, and military pilots, and documented in a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report. Not conclusively explained.
Credit: United States Air Force (1976), Capt. Henry S. Shields · Licence: Public domain (per Wikimedia Commons) · Source
In the early hours of September 19, 1976, air traffic controller Hossein Pirouzi at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport received reports from at least four civilians of a shining object over the Shemiran area. He saw it himself and described it as rectangular, with two large lights and a small red light circling its middle. A general of the Imperial Iranian Air Force also saw it from his balcony and ordered an interception.
At about 1:30 a.m., an F-4 Phantom II took off and could see the object from about 70 miles away. At 25 nautical miles, the crew lost instruments and communications, which returned when they broke off. A second F-4, flown by Maj. Parviz Jafari, got a radar lock at 27 nautical miles, with a return similar in size to a Boeing 707. The crew said a smaller object separated from the main one and came toward the jet. When Jafari tried to fire, his weapons panel and communications failed. Both returned after the pilot turned away.
A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report on the incident was later released, and the case has been cited as a well-documented military encounter. Skeptics, including Philip Klass, have argued that the witnesses may have mistaken bright stars or planets, such as Jupiter, for something unusual.
Sources: Wikipedia: Tehran UFO incident
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