Parviz Jafari

Born in 1940 and dying in 2022, Jafari served as a General in the Imperial Iranian Air Force, having begun his military aviation career as a young fighter pilot. He is best known for his encounter with a UAP over Tehran on September 19, 1976, when he scrambled in an F-4 Phantom II jet interceptor to intercept a bright object reported by civilians. During the pursuit, his aircraft's weapons systems and communications were reportedly jammed when he attempted to fire at the object.

The Tehran incident is considered one of the best-documented military UAP encounters, confirmed by a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency memo. Jafari spoke publicly about the event at the 2007 National Press Club conference in Washington, D.C., and remained a credible witness and advocate for transparency regarding the incident throughout his life.