50 Years After '1976 UFO Sighting', Another Mystery Object Hovers Over Tehran

Multiple videos showing a mysterious object with bright, multicoloured lights hovering over Tehran have surfaced on social media, leading to all kinds of speculation.

The videos were reportedly recorded on September 20 and show what appears to be a low-flying object moving in the night sky. One post on social media platform X claimed the sighting took place near the Azadegan Expressway in Tehran.

Phone videos of bright, multi-colored lights over Tehran, Iran, went viral overnight.

Iranian authorities have not issued any official statement treating the object as a threat.pic.twitter.com/JeqOHksFz7

— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 21, 2026

There is no official information yet about the object's exact location, altitude, speed or size. Iranian authorities have also not issued any statement identifying the object or treating it as a threat.

The clips emerged amid heightened tensions between Iran, the United States and Israel.

A number of videos are circulating showing an unidentified object in the skies above Tehran, Iran, it's not immediately clear what is being filmed. pic.twitter.com/bHNAQGFPNv

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) September 21, 2026

The footage has led to several theories about what the lights could be. Some social media users suggested that the object may have been a military drone or multiple drones flying together. Others questioned whether the lights could have come from a kite or another object being viewed from a distance, according to Cyber News.

Iran and the US exchanged fresh warnings on September 20 as tensions soared in the region. Iran's military warned that it could retaliate against US bases and American interests in the region if the country came under another attack, according to Reuters.

The US State Department has also warned travellers about possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other disruptions in the region.

The latest videos have also brought back memories of a well-known aerial sighting reported over Tehran in September 1976. That incident took place on September 19, 1976, when Iranian authorities reported seeing a bright object in the sky. Iranian F-4 fighter jets were reportedly sent to investigate the sighting.

The incident later became one of the more widely discussed cases among UFO researchers.

Declassified US government records also contain reports about the 1976 incident. The US National Security Agency's archive includes a Joint Chiefs of Staff report, a Defence Intelligence Agency summary and a report from the US defence attache.

The existence of these documents confirms that the 1976 sighting was officially reported and investigated. However, there is no evidence that the object seen in 1976 is connected to the lights filmed in Tehran this week.

The latest videos, however, have not been independently verified, and there is no confirmation that the object is an unidentified aircraft, a military drone or anything unusual.