Viral videos showing a glowing object in the cloudy sky above Tehran have surfaced online, sparking questions about whether the object is a UFO or a drone. Sources suggest that the video was captured around 7:30 pm near Milad Tower and the Azadegan Highway in Tehran. The footage captures several bright lights twinkling in clustered formations.
UFO or drone formation over Tehran?
The videos do not contain metadata and a clear scale reference point. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the altitude and speed of the object. Analysts say that the formation resembles a coordinated swarm of commercial drones or military unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). It could also be a standard aircraft with navigation lights.
NEW – Drone, plane or UFO? Videos show an illuminated object moving through Tehran’s night sky pic.twitter.com/5KmYdL82wV
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 21, 2026
Defense analysts argue that the soundless hovering of the object can be attributed to modern military reconnaissance drones and high-end commercial quadcopters. These operate with quiet electric motors and appear completely soundless when observed from the ground. Moreover, drones can be programmed to fly in geometric patterns, which gives the formation a saucer-like shape. Drones also move with highly controlled movement. This allows them to remain stable in a fixed position for a significant period of time.
The object could potentially be an LED-equipped kite. This is a popular activity in dense urban areas. The kites create a similar effect of floating glowing lights.
WATCH: Another angle of the mysterious object in the skies over Tehran. 🛸 pic.twitter.com/51UrUppvnG
— Scott M (@EODWX5) September 20, 2026
Security situation in Iran
Iran is currently experiencing a period of severe military tension as it grapples with active conflict. A few days before this video was shot, the region also experienced a “mysterious blue flash” which triggered widespread blackouts. Security analysts concluded that this phenomenon was an electrical arc flash triggered by US and Israeli precision airstrikes targeting infrastructure near Tehran and Karaj.
The airspace above Iran remains highly volatile. On 16 September, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officially confirmed that its air-defense system known as “Sky Slayer” shot down an American MQ-1 drone near the Strait of Hormuz.
Moreover, on September 20, the same day this video was captured, Iran and the United States exchanged fresh military warnings in light of escalating West Asian geopolitical friction.
