Videos of a mysterious object flying across the night sky over Tehran, the capital of Iran, on September 20, 2026, flashing in multiple colors have gone viral on social media platforms including 'X' and have become a major topic of discussion around the world.
The object appeared to have blinking LED lights in multiple colors, including red, green, and blue. In those videos, it was not possible to accurately determine the object's exact size, the speed at which it was flying, or its distance from Earth.
There are two main reasons why an ordinary video has become such a major global news story.
1. War tensions
At present, there is intense war tension between Iran, the United States, and Israel. In this situation, where Iran has issued a warning to U.S. forces, the appearance of a mysterious object in the sky has caused panic among the public and raised suspicions that it might be some kind of modern weapon.
2. Continuation of a 50-year-old mystery
Exactly 50 years ago, on September 19, 1976, a huge mysterious object (UFO) was also seen in the skies over Tehran. Iran’s F-4 fighter jets were sent to intercept and destroy it. The appearance of such a light again in the very same week that the most famous incident in world UFO history completed exactly 50 years has heated up the discussions.
Phone videos of bright, multi-colored lights over Tehran, Iran, went viral overnight.
— Clash Report (@clashreport) September 21, 2026
Iranian authorities have not issued any official statement treating the object as a threat.pic.twitter.com/JeqOHksFz7
Internet users and experts are putting forward various reasons for this mysterious object.
This could be a modern military surveillance drone or a system of multiple drones flying together.
Some also say it could simply be a regular kite fitted with advanced LED lights flown at night.
When distant aircraft flying at night are zoomed in on using a mobile phone camera, light scattering may have made it appear blurry and like a mysterious object.
Many people call this a 'UFO.' UFO does not immediately mean 'aliens are coming'; if an object flying in the sky cannot be identified, it is called a 'UFO' (Unidentified Flying Object).
Although many people have given various reasons like this, so far neither the Iranian aviation authorities nor the military has officially identified this object or declared it a threat. The authenticity of the video has also not yet been fully proven.
Given the current war situation and technological developments, it is unlikely to be an alien spacecraft. Rather, it is much more likely to be a military drone or ordinary technology. However, until official explanations are released, these “Tehran mystery lights” will continue to be an interesting topic of discussion on the internet.