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UFO Encounter Over Tehran

Here is a brief outlay to what I feel is an important ufo encounter over Tehran, Iran in 1976. I have included the FOIA files that highlight what significance of the incident. It involved multiple witness accounts, a possible landing, and the attempt by two Iranian Air Force F-4 Phantoms to intercept the unknown. I personally became aware of the incident after the TV program Sightings in 1994 when it was revealed the crew tried firing a missile at the ufo.

The Iran of 1976 was still under the administration of the Shah, and was a steadfast ally of the United States. With the benign attitude of the country toward the West at the time, one can safely accept that the Shah and the corporate infrastructure of Iran was squarely into the pockets of the United States. Their oil production and reserves were a very important logistic point for our economic game plan at that point in history.

Just as important, from a military perspective, was the fact that Iran's Air Force was not the piece-meal product of "get it where you can" hardware-procurement during this period. The United States supplied and helped maintain their aircraft, and their fighter pilots were trained and supported by our own Air Force.

The objects seen over Iran in this incident were witnessed by numerous persons, both civilian and military, from several locations. The reports do vary somewhat in description, but the fact remains that these objects could be seen both by the naked human eye and by military radar. In-fact the radar at Mehrabad airport indicated the object was the size of a Boeing 707 tanker. And some of the naked eye sightings were reported from as far away as seventy miles.

At the height of intensity during this affair, two F-4 fighters were scrambled to investigate the intruders. As these state-of-the-art, American-built aircraft approached the unknowns, they lost all of their communication and instrumentation facilities. Under these circumstances, the confused (and probably frightened) pilots were forced to turn away from the pursuit. Strangely, once the chase was abandoned, the planes regained their electronic capabilities. This effect of electrical instrument malfunction has been reported in other UFO encounters, and is quite functionally demonstrated in the Iranian incident.

Freedom of Information Act - FOIA files

1976 Tehran, Iran UFO Incident

PRIORITY UNCLASSIFIED

OCT1 MSG654 PAGE 01 267 0813

ACTION: NONF-OR.

INFO:

ATCZY UW RUFK JCS 97 17 76-0810 MTMS-CCCC--RJFFHQA_.

NY CCCCC

P 2308107 SEP 76

FM JCS

INFO RUSHC/SECSTATE WASH DC

RUFAIIF/C I A

RUFOIAH/NSA WASH DC

RUFADWW/WHITE HOUSE WASH DC

RUFFHQA/CSAF WASH DC

RUFNAAA/CNO WASH DC

RUFADHD/CSA WASH DC

P 2306307 SEP 76

FM USOAO TEHRAN

TO RUFK.ICS/OIA WASH DC

INFO RUFKUCS/SECDEF DEPSECDEF WASH DC

RUFRBAA/COMIDFASTF OR

RUDOECA/CINCUSAFF LINDSEY AS GE/INCF

RHRAAB/CINCUSAFF RAMSTEIN AB GE/INOCN

RUSNAAA/FUDAC VAIHINGEN GER

RUSNAAA/UGCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GER/ECJ-2

C O N F I D E N T I A L 1235 SEP76

THIS IS IR 6 846 0139 76

1. (U) IRAN

2. REPORTED UFO SIGHTING (U)

3. (U) NA

4. (U) 19 & 20 SEP 76

5. (U) TEHRAN. IRAN: 20 SEP 76

6. (U) F-6

7. (U) 6 846 008 (NOTE RO COMMENTS)

8. (U) 6 846 0139 76

9. (U) 22SEP 76

10. (U) NA

11. (U) `INITIATE' IPSP PT-1440

12. (U) USDAO. TEHRAN. IRAN

13. (U) FRANK B. MCKENZIE. COL. USAF. :DA TT

14. (U) NA

15. (U) THIS REPORT FORWARDS INFORMATION CONCERNING THE SIGHTING OF AN

UFO IN IRAN ON :19 SEPTEMBER 1976.

A. AT ABOUT 1230 AM ON 19 SEP 76 THE ---------------------

----------

-!--------------------------RECEIVED FOUR TELEPHONE CALLS FROM CITIZENS

LIVING IN THE SHEMIRAN AREA OF TEHRAN :SAYING

PRIORITY UNCLASSIFIED

OCT1 MSG654 PAGE 02 267 08L3

THAT THEY HAD SEEN STRANGE OBJECTS IN THE SKY. SOME REPORTED A KIND OF

BIRD-LIKE OBJECT WHILE OTHERS REPORTED A HELICOPTER WITH A LIGHT ON.

THERE WERE NO HELICOPTERS AIRBORNE AT THAT TIME.-------------

-----------

-!----------------------- AFTER. HE TOLD THE CITIZEN IT WAS ONLY STARS

AND HAD TALKED TO MEHRABAD TOWER HE DECIDED TO LOOK FOR HIMSELF. HE

NOTICED AN OBJECT IN THE SKY SIMILAR TO A STAR BIGGER AND BRIGHTER. HE

DECIDED TO SCRAMBLE AN F-4 FROM SHAHROKHI AFB TO INVESTIGATE.

B. AT 0130 HRS ON THE 19TH THE F-4 TOOK OFF AND PROCEEDED TO A POINT

ABOUT 40 NM NORTH OF TEHRAN. DUE TO ITS BRILLIANCE THE OBJECT WAS

EASILY VISIBLE FROM 70 MILES AWAY. AS THE F-4 APPROACHED A RANGE OF 25

NH HE LOST ALL INSTRUMENTATION AND COMMUNICTIONS (UHF AND INTERCOM).

HE BROKE OFF THE INTERCEPT AND HEADED BACK TO SHAHROKHI. WHEN THE F-4

TURNED AWAY FROM THE OBJECT AND APPARENTLY WAS NO LONGER A THREAT TO IT

THE AIRCRAFT REGAINED ALL INSTRUMENTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS. AT 0140

HRS A SECOND F-4 WAS LAUNCHED. THE BACKSEATER ACQUIRED A RADAR LOCK ON

AT 27 NH. 12 O'CLOCK HIGH POSITION WITH THE VC (RATE OF CLOSURE) AT 150

NHPH. AS THE RANGE DECREASED TO 25 NH THE OBJECT MOVED AWAY AT A SPEED

THAT WAS VISIBLE ON THE RADAR SCOPE AND STAYED AT 25 NH.

C. THE SIZE OF THE RADAR RETURN WAS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A 707 TANKER.

THE VISUAL SIZE OF THE OBJECT WAS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN BECAUSE OF ITS

INTENSE BRILLIANCE. THE LIGHT THAT IT GAVE OFF WAS THAT OF FLASHING

STROBE LIGHTS ARRANGED IN A RECTANGULAR PATTERN AND ALTERNATING BLUE-

GREEN, RED AND ORANGE IN COLOR. THE SEQUENCE OF THE LIGHTS WAS SO FAST

THAT ALL THE COLORS COULD BE SEEN AT ONCE. THE OBJECT AND THE PURSUING

F-4 CONTINUED ON A COURSE TO THE SOUTH OF TEHRAN WHEN ANOTHER BRIGHTLY

LIGHTED OBJECT, ESTIMATED TO BE ONE HALF TO ONE THIRD THE APPARENT SIZE OF

THE MOON, CAME OUT OF THE ORIGINAL OBJECT. THIS SECOND OBJECT HEADED

STRAIGHT TOWARD THE F-4 AT A VERY FAST RATE OF SPEED. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED

TO FIRE AN AIM-9 MISSILE AT THE OBJECT BUT AT THAT INSTANT HIS WEAPONS

CONTROL PANEL WENT OFF AND HE LOST ALL COMMUNICATIONS (UHF AND INTERPHONE)

AT THIS POINT THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN AND NEGATIVE G DIVE TO GET AWAY.

AS HE TURNED THE OBJEAZ FELL IN TRAIL AT WHAT APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 3-4 NH.

AS HE CONTINUED IN HIS TURN AWAY FROM THE PRIMARY OBJECT THE SECOND OBJECT

WENT TO THE INSIDE OF HIS TURN THEN RETURNED TO THE PRIMARY OBJECT FOR A

PERFECT REJOIN.

D. SHORTLY AFTER THE SECOND OBJECT JOINED UP WITH THE PRIMARY OBJECT

ANOTHER OBJECT APPEARED TO COME OUT OF THE

PRIORITY UNCLASSIFIED

OCT1 MS6654 PAGE 03 267 0813

OTHER SIDE OF THE PRIMARY OBJECT GOING STRAIGHT DOWN. AT A GREAT RATE OF

SPEED. THE F-4 CREW HAD REGAINED COMMUNICATIONS AND THE WEAPONS CONTROL

PANEL AND WATCHED THE OBJECT APPROACH THE GROUND ANTICIPATING A LARGE

EXPLOSION. THIS OBJECT APPEARED TO COME TO REST GENTLY ON THE EARCH AND

CAST A VERY BRIGHT LIGHT OVER AN AREA OF ABOUT 2-3 KILOMETERS.

THE CREW DESCENDED FROM THEIR ALTITUDE OF 26H TO 15H AND CONTINUED TO

OBSERVE AND MARK THE OBJECT'S POSITION. THEY HAD SOME DIFFICULTY IN

ADJUSTING THEIR NIGHT VISIBILITY FOR LANDING SO AFTER ORBITING MEHRABAD

A FEW TIMES THEY WENT OUT FOR A STRAIGHT IN LANDING. THERE WAS A LOT OF

INTERFERENCE ON THE UHF AND EACH TIME THEY PASSED THROUGH A MAG. BEARING

OF 150 DEGREE FROM EHRABAD THEY LOST THEIR COMMUNICATIONS (UHF AND

INTERPHONE) AND THE INS FLUCTUATED FROM 30 DEGREES - 50 DEGREES. THE ONE

CIVIL AIRLINER THAT WAS APPROACHING MEHRABAD DURING THIS SAME TIME

EXPERIENCED COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE IN THE SAME VICINITY (KILO ZULU) BUT

DID NOT REPORT SEEING ANYTHING. WHILE THE F-4 WAS ON A LONG FINAL

APPROACH THE CREW NOTICED ANOTHER CYLINDER SHAPED OBJECT (ABOUT THE SIZE

OF A T-BIRD AT 10M) WITH BRIGHT STEADY LIGHTS ON EACH END AND A FLASHER

IN THE MIDDLE. WHEN QUERIED THE TOWER STATED THERE WAS NO OTHER KNOWN

TRAFFIC IN THE AREA. DURING THE TIME THAT THE OBJECT PASSED OVER THE

F-4 THE TOWER DID NOT HAVE A VISUAL ON IT BUT PICKED IT UP AFTER THE

PILOT TOLD THEM TO LOOK BETWEEN THE MOUNTAINS AND THE REFINERY.

E. DURING DAYLIGHT THE F-4 CREW WAS TAKEN OUT TO THE AREA IN A

HELICOPTER WHERE THE OBJECT APPARENTLY HAD LANDED. NOTHING WAS NOTICED

AT THE SPOT WHERE THEY THOUGHT THE OBJECT LANDED (A DRY LAKE BED) BUT

AS THEY CIRCLED OFF TO THE WEST OF THE AREA THEY PICKED UP A VERY

NOTICEABLE BEEPER SIGNAL. AT THE POINT WHERE THE RETURN WAS THE

LOUDEST WAS A SMALL HOUSE WITH A GARDEN. THEY LANDED AND ASKED THE

PEOPLE WITHIN IF THEY HAD NOTICED ANYTHING STRANGE LAST NIGHT. THE

PEOPLE TALKED ABOUT A LOUD NOISE AND A VERY BRIGHT LIGHT LIKE

LIGHTNING. THE AIRCRAFT AND AREA WHERE THE OBJECT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE

LANDED ARE BEING CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE RADIATION -------------

---------

-!-----------------------------------------------------------

---------

MORE INFORMATION WILL BE FORWARDED WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.

#9717

PTCCZYUW RUFKJCS9712 2670810:0130-CCCC 2670814

PRIORITY UNCLASSIFIED

DIA Defense Information Report Evaluation

Attached to the Iranian Intercept report was this DIA Defense Information Report Evaluation, a rarity among documents released by the Agency. The concluding comments are remarkable:

An outstanding report. This case is a classic which meets all the criteria necessary for a valid study of the UFO phenomenon:

a) The object was seen by multiple witnesses from different locations (i.e. Shamiran, Mehrabad, and the dry lake bed) and view- points (both airborne and from the ground).

b) The credibility of many of the witnesses was high (an Air Force general, qualified aircrews, and experienced tower operators).

c) Visual sightings were confirmed by radar.

d) Similar electromagnetic effects (EME) were reported by three separate aircraft.

e) There were physiological effects on some crew members (i.e. loss of night vision due to brightness of the object).

f) An inordinate amount of maneuverability was displayed by the UFOs.

1976-09-19; Tehran, Iran (See Also) (Close Encounters - 1976-09-19; Iran, Tehran)

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