Imperial Iranian Air Force F-4 reports loss of weapons systems near Tehran

Late on the night of 18–19 September 1976, citizens in Tehran reported a brightly lit object in the sky over the city. The Imperial Iranian Air Force scrambled an F-4D Phantom from Shahrokhi Air Base. As the F-4 approached the object, its instrumentation and communications failed and it returned to base. A second F-4 was scrambled, achieved radar lock at approximately 27 nautical miles, and reported that as it closed within striking range its weapons control systems were temporarily disabled.

A U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report titled 'Report of UFO Sighting' was prepared on 12 October 1976 and circulated to the White House, Joint Chiefs of Staff, NSA, and CIA. The four-page document, later released under the Freedom of Information Act, characterized the incident as an 'outstanding report' and noted that 'the object . . . evaded a perfectly aligned attack.' It remains one of the most-studied military UAP cases in the international record.