TEHRAN – Over the past month, residents across the state of New Jersey in the United States have reported nighttime sightings of unidentified flying objects, including over military bases and President-elect Donald Trump's golf course.

Despite numerous calls, neither local police nor federal authorities have provided an explanation.

Republican Representative Jeff Van Drew, however, claims to have the answer.

"Iran launched a mothership about a month ago, containing these drones. It's off the east coast of America," the congressman told Fox News on Wednesday, citing unnamed "sources."

He further suggested that "drones should be shot down, whether they belong to a hobbyist or Iran, which is a very possible scenario."

Contradicting Van Drew's claims, the U.S. military has denied any such possibility.

Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh dismissed the Iranian mothership theory, stating, "There is no truth to that. There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the U.S., nor is there a mothership launching drones towards the U.S."

Why is Iran being blamed?

Even if we assume that a foreign country is behind the recent phenomena, Van Drew's unfounded and now debunked accusations against Iran, rather than other U.S. adversaries like China or Russia, may reflect the current political climate in Washington.

With tensions high in West Asia following the fall of the Syrian government and the imminent inauguration of Donald Trump, Israeli officials and their supporters in Washington may view the timing as ripe for war with Iran.

Representative Van Drew's statements likely reflect the influence of his primary donor, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), a powerful pro-Israel lobbying group known for its significant sway over U.S. foreign policy. Israel’s agenda against Iran is known to all; it hopes to involve the U.S. in a destructive war with the West Asian country. 

In fact, this isn't the first time Iran has faced unfounded accusations. A U.S. Justice Department indictment in November accused an Afghan citizen of being hired by Iran to assassinate Donald Trump. 

In July, a similar case accusing Iran of an assassination plot against Trump was debunked when it was discovered the suspect had no verified ties to Iran and was, in fact, from Pakistan. Tehran argues that such instances demonstrate how unsubstantiated accusations are used to discredit Iran internationally.

Anti-Iran rhetoric from Western politicians and media aims to demonize Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism, thereby shifting global opinion, undermining support for diplomacy, and justifying aggressive policies—potentially paving the way for military engagement.

Where else have the drones been seen? 

Besides New Jersey, similar sightings have been reported in other locations:

- Langley Air Force Base, Virginia: Home to two F-22 combat squadrons and the CIA's headquarters.

- Nevada: Known for its vast desert and military installations, including Area 51.

- Ramstein Air Base, Germany: A key logistics and command center for U.S. forces in Europe.

- RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, UK: Critical bases for USAF operations.

Investigations and speculations

In New Jersey, dozens of drones have been spotted at night since mid-November, flying over critical infrastructure, including reservoirs, electric lines, rail stations, police departments, and military installations.

Former USAF General Mark Kelly noted the Langley drone sightings began in December 2023 and continued for 17 days, raising suspicions of potential espionage by Russia or China.

But the White House has stated that there is no indication of foreign ties to the drones, but investigations continue.

Witnesses describe these drones as loud and large, possibly larger than typical consumer drones. RAND Corporation's Daniel Gerstein remarked that these are not just small hobbyist drones.

The origin and purpose of these drones remain shrouded in mystery, with some questioning whether they are drones at all.

Here is a look at some of the emerging theories and hypotheses:

1. Foreign Espionage: The drones might be used by Russia or China for reconnaissance or sabotage.

2. Secret U.S. Technology: They could be part of a covert U.S. military program testing new technologies.

3. Private Companies: They may belong to private companies testing cutting-edge drone technologies.

4. Misidentifications: Some sightings could be misidentified objects, like small planes or weather balloons.

5. UAPs: Some believe that they may come from unknown origins, even being part of Non-Human Intelligence (NHI), so they classify them as Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP).

6. Social Experiment: A possible U.S. government experiment to gauge public reaction to unexplained phenomena.

7. Testing Readiness: The U.S. government might be testing military facility readiness by simulating incursions.