On the 19th and 20th of September 1976, two Iranian pilots would experience
what they never would have imagined. The Imperial Iranian Air Force Command
Post had received many calls from citizens reported Unidentified FlyingObjects
(UFOs) over the city, and wondered what was going on. After numerous phone
calls, they decided to go out and take a look forthemselves.
After having visual on the UFO, the Command Post decided to scramble an F-4
to go check it out. At 25 NM, the pilot lost all instrumentation, so he broke
off the advance and flew back to Shahrokhi Air Force Base. On his way back,
he regained all instrumentation, when he was not a threat to the object anymore.
A second F-4 was scrambled to go check it out, and the same experience happened
to him. At the exact time when the second F-4 was going to fire an AIM-9
missile at the target, he too lost all instrumentation. Was this a coincidence,
or an example of technology not known to this world.
The object did maneuvers also not known even to this day. What was it? According
to Captain Henry S. Shields, every pilot in his career "... can expect to
encounter strange, unusual happenings which will never be entirely explained
by logic or subsequent investigation." What is he saying? That this was just
a rare incident that should just be ignored, because it is part of being
a pilot to experience strange unusualoccurrences? His report, previously
classified as CONFIDENTIAL states what happened on the day of 20 September
1976.
As fascinating as this report is, it is strange to have the report deemed
UNCLASSIFIED. Yet, the Captain's report was classified CONFIDENTIAL. Also
another thing to point out is the distribution list on the above report,
it is unusually long.
The UFO wave over Iran did not stop there. On June 28 1978, a UFO was spotted
over Iran, and there was a photograph taken of it. The DIA report number
6 846 0380 78 states nothing other than the photograph and that it was taken
by a youth.
On July 18, 1978, many witnesses saw a UFO over Northern Tehran, and officials
from the control tower at Mehrabad airport, and a Lufthansa air crew reported
strange readings on their instruments. As DIA Intelligence Information Report
(IIR) states, which is quoted from a newspaper in Iran, an official at Mehrabad
radar control stated he saw something on his radar that was 20 times larger
than a jumbo size jet!
So what was going on in Iran in the late 1970's? Was an interested neighboring
country interested in what was going on in there, anticipating conducting
an invasion with aircraft that is still not know to this day? Or was it something
else. Something beyond our imaginations from another world. Evidence points
to that it was not of this world. The shape and vulnerability of the craft
is beyond out present day KNOWN technology, so what was it? Unfortunately,
this question will probably plague us for quite some time, but from the release
of these FOIA documents, and among thousands others from government agencies,
it sure gives us an insight from what to think.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
MESSAGE CENTER
VEG MAY864ILN118
MULT
ACTION
DIA1
DISTR
CJG8(01) DJ8(03) J3(14) J5(02) NMCC DECDEF(07) DPSECDEF
NNIC SECDEF: ASD:ISA(10) :DIA(15)
SECSTATE WASH DC -C I A - NSA WASH DC -WHITE HOUSE DC - CMC
CSAF WASH DC - CNO WASH DC - CSA WASH DC
FILE(1)
(053)
TRANSIT/230630Z/230810Z/001140TOR2670S04
DE RUQMHRA #9575 2670615
ZNY CCCCC
P 230630Z SEP 76
FM USDAO TEHRAN
TO RUEKJCS/DIA EASHDC INFO RUEKJCS/SECDEF DEPSECDEF WASHDC
RUFRBAA/COMIDEASTFOR
RUDOECA/CINCUSAFE LINDSEY AS GE/INCF
RHFRAAB/CINCUSAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE/INOCN
RUSNAAA/EUDAC VAIHINGGEN GER
RUSNAAA/USCINCEUR VAIHINGEN GER/ECJ-2 BT
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 0008 (NOTE RO COMMENTS)
8. (U) 6 846 0139 76
9. (U) 22SEP 76
10. (U) NA
11. (U) "INITIATE" IPSP PT-1440
PAGE 1 00110101
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
MESSAGE CENTER
Page 2
12. (U) USDAD, TEHRAN, IRAN
13. (U) FRANK B, MCKENZIE, COL, USAF, SATT
14. (U) NA
15. ***** 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 IMPERIAL IRIANIAN AIR FORCE (IIAF)
COMMAND POST RECEIVED FOUR TELEPHONE CALLS FROM CITIZENS LIVING IN THE SHEMIRAN
AREA OF TEHRAN SAYING 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. THE COMMAND
POST CALLED BG YOUSEFTI, ASSIATANT DEPUTY COMMANDER OF OPERATIONS. 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 40NM 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 NM HE LOST ALL
INSTRUMENTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS (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 COMMUNICATION. AT 0140 HRS A SECOND F-4 WAS LAUNCHED. THE BACKSEATER
ACQUIRED A RADAR LOCK ON AT 28NM, 12 0'CLOCK HIGH POSITION WITH THE VC (RATE
OF CLOSURE) AT 150 NMPH. AS THE RANGE DECREASED TO 25 NM THE OBJECT MOVED
AWAY AT A SPEED THAT WAS VISIBLE ON THE RADAR SCOPE AND STAYED AT 25
NM.
C. THE SIZE OF THE RADAR RETURN WAS COMPARABLE TO THAT OF A 767 TANKER.
THE VISUAL SIZE OF THE OBJECT WAS DIFFICULT TO DISCERN BECAUSE OF ITS INTENSE
BRILLIANCE. THE LIGHT THAT IT GAVE OFF HAS 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 ORIGNAL
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 MISSLE AT THE OBJECT
BUT AT THAT
PAGE 2 00110101
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
MESSAGE CENTER
Page 3 12043
INSTANT HIS WEAPONS CONTROL PANEL WENT OFF AND HE LOST ALL COMMUNICATION
(UHF AND INTERPHONE). AT THIS POINT THE PILOT INITIATED A TURN AND NEGITIVE
G DIVE TO GET AWAY.AS HE TURNED THE OBJEAZ FELL IN TRAIL AT WHAT APPEARED
TO BE ABOUT 2-4 NM.AS HE CONTINUED IN HIS TURN AWAY FROM THE PRIMARY OBJECTS
THE SECOND OBJECTWENT TO THE INSIDE OF HIS TURN THEN REUTRNED TO THE PRIMARY
OBJECT FOR APERFECT REJOIN.
D. SHORTLY AFTER THE SECOND OBJECT JOINED UP WITH THE PRIMARY OBJECT
ANOTHER OBJECT APPEARED TO COME OUT OF THE 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 ONTROL PANEL AND WATCHED THE OBJECT
APPROACH THE GROUND ANTICIPATING A LARGE EXPLOSION. THIS OBJECT APPEARED
TO COME TO REST GENTLY ON THE EARTH AND CAST A VERY BRIGHT LIGHT OVER AN
AREA OF ABOUT 2-3 KILOMETERS.
THE CREW DECSCENDED FROM THEIR ALTITUDE OF 26M TO 15M 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 STRIAGHT IN LANDING. THERE WAS A LOT ON INTERFERENCE
ON THE UHF AND EACH TIME THEY PASSED THROUGHT A MAG, BEARING OF 150 DEGREE
FROM MEHRABAD 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 EXPERINECED COMMUNICATION FAILURE
IN THE SAME VICINITY (KILO ZULU) BUT DID NOT REPORT SEEING ANTHING. 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 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 BRITE
LIGHTS
PAGE 3 00110101
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
MESSAGE CENTER
Page 4 12043
LIKE LIGHTENING THE AIRCRAFT AND AREA WHERE THE OBJECT IS BELIEVED
TO HAVE LANDED ARE BEING CHECKED FOR POSSIBLE RADIATION. RO COMMENTS: ****
ACTUAL INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS REPORT WAS OBTAINED FROM SOURCE IN
CONVERSATION WITH A SUB-SOURCE, AND IIAF PILOT OF ONE OF THE F-4S. MORE
INFORMATION WILL BE FORWARDED WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE.
BT
#9575
ANNOTES
JEP 117
