Russia and Iran have agreed to a joint program studying the UFO phenomenon after a series of sightings of unidentified flying objects.


The two nations are stressing “expansion of bilateral cooperation particularly in space research and construction of satellites,” the Islamic Republic News Agency reports.

This comes in the wake of a skywatching mania that struck Iran amid state-media reports of sightings of flying objects near Iran’s nuclear installations.

The Resalat news agency reported “shining objects” in the sky near Natanz, where Iran’s uranium-enrichment plant is situated. One of those objects is said to have exploded, prompting “panic in the region”.

Tehran’s air force was ordered to shoot down any unknown or suspicious flying objects in its airspace, amid security concerns for its nuclear plants.

“Flights of unknown objects in the country’s airspace have increased in recent weeks... [they] have been seen over Bushehr and Isfahan provinces,” the Resalat daily reported. Nuclear facilities are located in both provinces.

The WorldNetDaily has reported UFO sightings in Iran in the past.

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/12/30/ufo.shtml